Persona: A Matter of Time
by Constant-Daze
Summary: Even with the passing of the promised day, humanity's inevitable end draws nearer. A new battle for hope and survival begins as Kota Isarota, an amnesiac student transferring to Gekkoukan High School, finds himself in the centre of it. His friends by his side, Kota searches for answers while adapting to his extraordinary life. Can they save their futures from the jaws of despair?
1. The Contract has been Sealed

**Disclaimer:**

 **The following is a fanfiction of non-canon events that take place in the Persona series. I do not own any locations or characters that exist prior to the publishing of this story. This is a work of fiction and any relations to persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental. Readers are to have fun following this story and any review, follow, or any other form of support or constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated by the author :)**

* * *

 **Persona: A Matter of Time**

 **Chapter 1:**

Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…

The eerie ticking sound filled the boy's ears as he slept. The sounds were spaced out in one-second intervals and grew louder at each passing moment. He slowly started to open his heavy eyelids.

The walls, tiled flooring, the tablecloth laid over a long table directly in front of him. The boy's entire surroundings were coated with differing shades of deep blue. Only the giant, gold pendulum over the table was of a different colour as it swung over the table in time with the ticking noise. The edges of the room consisted of an excessive number of cameras and microphones, all pointing towards the table in the centre of the room. Strangely, the room lacked a ceiling, exposing the seemingly infinite void that hung over the boy. Looking past the pendulum, the boy could see the countless blue clocks that covered the sky above. Each clock varied in size and speed but was otherwise completely identical to each other.

"Pathfinder, welcome to my Velvet Room." The boy mindlessly lowered his head to find that a pair of figures had appeared across the table from him. The seated person - or rather, thing - had abnormally long and pointed ears, absurdly long nose and a dark and a messy brow that hung over his bloodshot eyes. His body was frail and wore a dark suit that one would be expected to wear at formal outings.

The meek-looking person that stood beside him looked to be more human in comparison. She was a girl who looked to be about the same age as the boy. She had bright red hair that almost hung down to her waist and had soft yellow eyes. Her clothing was entirely of the colour blue, from the beret that rested on her head paired with her neat and conservative dress, to her high heel shoes. She looked quite beautiful, though she refused to meet the gaze of the boy, appearing nervous in his presence.

The man with the long nose continued to talk in an almost droning matter.

"This is a place found between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is bound closely to your fate and can only be entered by those bound by a contract. I am Igor. I reside in this place, and am tasked with aiding you on your upcoming journey." Igor's eyes were piercing, as though staring into his soul through his own eyes. The gaze was so intense that he couldn't bring himself to look away.

"To my left, my assistant, Elsa." The man gestured to the girl standing beside him.

"…Hi." The voice was barely audible over the ticking of the clocks as she looked towards a corner of the room as she spoke.

"Now, if you could turn your attention to the parchment in front of you." Doing as the man said, the boy looked down at the multiple pages neatly set out on his end of the table, accompanied by a slick, blue and gold fountain pen. "Before we can assist you in your endeavours, you are to agree to the terms of the contract."

Igor's smile remained abnormally wide as the boy's vision skimmed over the text as the pages turned automatically. Once the contract flipped onto its final page, space for two signatures could be seen, although one of the lines bore nothing but crude scribbles.

"In short, you are required to seek the purpose of your existence and see that you meet our expectations…as a Shepherd of your people." The boy couldn't grasp what the contact was all about, yet he carried an overwhelming urge to sign his name on the untouched second line. Reaching out to the pen to his right, the boy's vision was overridden with a bright white light.

"And with that, my dear guest, perhaps it's time that you introduce yourself."

* * *

 **Sunday, 7th of April**

Under the cover of the orange glow radiating from the sun setting behind the distant hills, the train moves at a steady pace. The packed carriages swayed ever so slightly atop of the tracks as it travelled at a consistent and calculated pace. In one of those many carriages, there was one boy incredibly unique from any other passenger. This boy, with unblinking eyes, fixed on the blurring landscape on the other side of the window, was desperately trying to recall who he was.

Blocking from his mind the constant rumbling noises of the train, he pondered intensely on what had happened earlier that day. He remembered almost nothing, the images he pictured in his head were blurred beyond recognition. The boy slowly scratches the back of his head underneath his cyan hair as if it would help jog his memory.

My name... my name is Isarota... Kota Isarota.

That was all he had. No matter how hard he focused on trying to picture another name, a town, a face, nothing else came to him.

"Iwatodai… Iwatodai… This is the final stop before Tatsumi Port Island… Iwatodai." The Conductor's calm voice sounded through the intercom as several passengers prepared to disembark the carriage. The teen switched his focus to his right hand, which firmly clutched a small piece of paper. He opened up his hand, revealing the text on the heavily creased paper. 'Iwatodai' was all that was written. Heaving a frustrated sigh, he carelessly dropped the paper by his feet, seeing that there was no need to keep hold of it.

The train began to slow down as Kota took the time to stretch his limbs. Following the lead of his fellow passengers, he grabbed the bag by his feet and made his way towards the nearest exit.

Having stepped off the train, Kota attempted to make his way to the station's exit through the sea of people. He had no idea where to go from there, but he wasn't going to find out by standing still. The station was packed with so many people that Kota had to push through them to be able to move anywhere.

As he moved away from the train, Kota's head started to spin. He started to feel himself lose his sense of direction after each passing second. Then a voice sounded in his head. It was soft and barely recognisable at first, but what was one voice became many, and they all grew louder as he kept moving.

With sweat forming on his forehead and his breathing becoming more shallow, Kota fell into a state of panic. He desperately forced his way through the crowd to the displeasure of many of those around him. He no longer cared about where he needed to go, he just wanted to get out of that damn crowd.

Then a flash of light blinded the teen and stopped him in his tracks. A dozen images flashed before him, disappearing as quickly as they had come, rapidly changing through the sound of loud chimes. Kota screamed in pain as he let go of his bag and fell on all fours. The teen breathed heavily and swore under his breath as he tried to collect himself.

As he slowed his breathing down, Kota attempted to recap what he had just seen. A giant pendulum. An old man with a large nose. The fact that he seemed to have forgotten everything before the train ride was disturbing enough without him having panic attacks on top of that.

"Uh, hey... Are you okay?"

Kota looked up to see that several people had gathered around him having just witnessed his fall, all with looks of either concern or annoyance on their faces. What he also saw was a pair of glass sliding doors before him that led to the streets of Iwatodai.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Kota quickly grabbed his bag and briskly moved to the exit, not bothering to look back.

* * *

Kota sat down on the steps in front of the station and panted. His heart was still racing to the point where it felt as if it was just shy of bursting, but at least he was able to take in the fresh air after spending all those hours on the train. When his shaking subsided and his breathing came much more naturally, Kota switched his focus to his surroundings.

The sun was now barely visible over the building opposite the station, emitting a warm, twilight glow over the city plaza. Locals of a broad range of ages filled the pavement, with many of them donned in casual clothes. The majority of the city's citizens would likely be heading home in preparation for the start of the working week. While it felt like this was the first time seeing the streets of Iwatodai, Kota couldn't help but find the sight strangely nostalgic.

During his moment of reflection, something caught his eye. A small, but bright blue light in the sky above him appeared from seemingly nowhere. It seemed to slowly approach him as Kota kept his unwavering focus on the light. Soon it was close enough for Kota to see what it really was, a tiny blue butterfly. Kota stood up to get a closer look at the insect as it fluttered around him in circles, immensely transfixed in its beauty.

"Mr Isarota?" A male's voice caused him to snap his head in its direction. The man that was standing there appeared to be in his forties, looking at Kota through his thick-rimmed glasses as he waited for a reply. He presented himself rather formally, wearing a buttoned striped dark suit and yellow tie along with having his short black hair gelled into a comb-over.

"W-What do you want?" Kota couldn't help himself from trying to take another glance of the butterfly, but it was nowhere to be seen when he turned back around.

"Oh thank goodness, it's you! If you weren't wearing your school uniform, I would never have found you with all the people here." Kota looked down at his clothes to see that he was indeed wearing a uniform of some sort. It was mostly made up of dark items of clothing. Black pants, black jacket, black tie, but the jacket was unbuttoned to show that Kota was wearing a white shirt underneath. He then slowly turned around to face the man once more.

"Who are you?" Kota asked. The man started to look a little flustered as if he had just been caught doing something wrong.

"Oh! My apologies, my name is Masata Kobayashi. I'm the principal of Gekkoukan High School. I was told to meet you here once your train arrived."

The school didn't ring any bells, yet he was wearing what he assumed was their school uniform. Not only that, but he was also talking to the school's principal. Did he really move over here to attend this school? Kobayashi scratched the back of his head and continued to talk.

"I-It's my first year as the school's principal so a lot of this is new to me, ha, ha..." Kobayashi's nervous laugh did a bad job of relieving the tension, so Kota figured that it was about time he had said something.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr Kobayashi." The man quietly sighed with relief and gave Kota a cheesy grin. The grin looked to be almost too big to fit on his face and didn't suit him at all.

"Great. Same goes for you, Master Isarota. As you would know, I'm here to escort you to your school dorm." Kota raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.

"Is that so?" He spoke up before thinking about what he had just said.

"Um… You didn't know?"

Kota wanted to kick himself. Whoever put him on that train probably wanted him to attend this school. Kobayashi looked like he was about to get flustered again, but managed to collect himself before continuing.

"Well, you've been booked to stay in one of our dorms for the next year while you carry out your schooling at Gekkoukan."

"I see..." Kota could only assume that he did have a reason for being here. He just had to go with it, at least until he gets more of an idea as to why he was there in the first place.

"Anyway, we should start heading off before it gets dark," Kobayashi stated. "Would you please follow me to the car? I'll get your bag."

* * *

Kobayashi blabbered on during the whole five minutes they were in the car for. He was mostly going on about Gekkoukan High and the place where it was located, Tatsumi Port Island. It all bored Kota, so he ended up ignoring his chatty Principal, but the worst thing was that he wasn't able to ask Kobayashi about things he actually cared about.

"Well, here we are. This will be your new home for the next year." Kobayashi said as he stopped the vehicle in front of a four-story building. It looked a little old compared to some of the more modern buildings on the same street, but it's age only made it look all the more elegant. Upon entering the building, Kota instantly noticed that the interior had more or less complimented the charm of its exterior.

The entrance lounge took up the entire first floor except for the small kitchen area towards the back of the building. The lounge itself looked rather pleasant, containing four lounges of various sizes, but all sharing an almost antique design, around a coffee table and an old television set. There was even a counter to the left of that front door that looked like it had been taken straight from a hotel lobby.

"So where are the all my roommates?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Kobayashi gave a nervous chuckle, "you don't have any. You see, this building has only recently been reopened for you since the other dormitories we have are all full." Kota slightly nodded. The thought of having to stay in a dormitory alone annoyed him somewhat. He had been alone for the entire day on the train over to Iwatodai, so he was looking forward to being in the company of someone his own age.

"Do you have any other questions for me while I'm here?" Kota's face lit up. He had already forgotten that he was hoping to get some information about him from Kobayashi. At the very least, he would know about how he came to be enrolled in Gekkoukan.

"What do you know about me?" Kota asked. Kobayashi just raised an eyebrow at the student in confusion. "I mean... I seem to have suffered a bit of a brain fade so..." No matter how Kota put it, it would have sounded strange, so he remained quiet and waited for Kobayashi 's response.

"Wow, you are the first student I have come across that has suffered from amnesia." For whatever reason, Kobayashi was trying to stop himself from laughing. "Then again you are one of the first students I've met so that's not saying much!"

The Principal burst out laughing as if he had just witnessed a guy run into a pole in some slapstick TV show. As soon as Kobayashi saw that Kota was not laughing with him, he quickly pulled himself together and cleared his throat.

"Well, as I have said before, your enrolment into the school was sudden, which was rather odd. I'll look into it, but I can't promise that I can help." Kota couldn't hold back his groan. He had hoped to have finally been told something about his past, but it turned out that Kobayashi couldn't tell him anything. "Cheer up, you might just be tired from the long trip. Give yourself a bit of time to rest and your memories might become much clearer."

"Yeah… I'm sure you're right." Despite having himself appear as though he was relieved upon hearing Kobayashi's suggestion, he knew that it wasn't that simple. Why would he have his intended destination written down for him if that was the case?

"Well, I'm off!" Kobayashi once again puts on his goofy smile, believing that that issue had been settled. "I'll see you at school, Master Isarota." He gave a small bow and walked out the door.

Minutes crept by as Kota just stood still, not thinking about anything in particular. He went back to asking himself the same questions about himself over and over again, and his confrontation with his school principal only brought up more questions. Sure, the fact that he had a school to attend gave him a starting point as to find out who he really was, but knowing that his path had been set disturbed him the most.

"Maybe something in my suitcase will get my memory going…" The blue-haired teen mumbled as he tiredly turned to the suitcase that sat by his feet. But despite trying to be optimistic, he couldn't ignore the feeling that there wasn't any point.

* * *

Kota took a step back from the newly emptied suitcase and had a long look at the bedroom which he had claimed for himself.

The room was rather large and spacious as if it was meant to be custom made for a person who was seven-feet tall. On one side, there was a wardrobe where Kota had already hung his clothes in. The other side had a desk and directly opposite the door was a bed.

Through the one window in his room which was positioned above the desk, Kota could tell that it was now dark outside. He couldn't help but yawn, thinking about the night made him even more tired than he already felt.

He glared into a mirror attached to the inside of one of the wardrobe doors to get a good look at himself. He had a thin, but by no means bony face with sharp facial features, the pointed nose and chin stood out to Kota the most. His hair was quite flamboyant since aside from the fact that its colour was the unusual shade of cyan, it sat atop of his head in an unusual fashion. A long fringe moving from left to right hanging as low as his eyebrows were accompanied by short tufts of hair towards the back of his head spiking outwards. Otherwise, his hair was dead straight and ran down the back of his neck. His eyes had a similar cyan colour as his hair but were much duller.

After spending a few moments looking at himself the teen turned the lights off, crept around the pile of miscellaneous junk from the suitcase that he didn't have a place for and lay on his bed. Kota made an effort to get plenty of sleep before school tomorrow, but time went by slowly as the questions continued to toss and turn in his bed, as he subconsciously mulled over the same questions in his head.

With tiredness finally winning out, Kota drifted into a shallow sleep.

* * *

 **Monday, 8th of April**

There was a lot of tossing and turning as his mind refused to rest. Yet, somehow, Kota had managed to get some sleep during the night.

Kota swept his tired eyes across the bedroom. The sunlight was now piercing through the bedroom window, as the singing of birds could be heard along with the traffic several floors beneath him. Emptying his thoughts, the boy placed his hands beneath his head. His eyes glazed over as he looked up at the ceiling. For the first time in his memory, he mind was at ease.

Kota's attention turned to the sound of footsteps echoing from beyond the bedroom door. He got up to investigate the source of the noise as it seemed to stop right outside the door. As he reached for the doorknob, the door swung open quickly and slammed him in the face. As Kota let out a yell of pain as he fell to the ground, a startled scream sounded from the other side of the doorway.

After spending some time returning to his senses, Kota sat upright with a hand on his forehead and looked up to see who had caused him such pain. A beanie-wearing girl was standing there, covering her mouth with one hand. She was relatively small and had a fairly unusual appearance - pale skin, short white hair sticking out from under her black beanie, and bright red eyes. Kota also noticed that she was in a school uniform, bearing the same school emblem on her blazer.

"I-I'm so sorry!" The girl started. "I didn't know you were there. Are you alright?" Kota was very much surprised that there was a girl standing right in front of him since he was told that no-one aside from him was staying in the dormitory.

"I'll live..." Kota got up to his feet gingerly, still feeling the bump develop below his hairline. "Who are you?" The girl's expression quickly changed from being concerning to that of confusion.

"Akina Yonashi. I'm here to escort you to school?" She sounded unsure, almost nervous as she spoke. As Kota thought back to the other day, the name did sound familiar to him and most of what the principal had said during the car ride to the dorm flew over his head. Since Kota couldn't rely on himself memorise anything that had happened before the train ride, it was possible that Kobayashi did say that she was coming.

"Oh..." Kota suddenly felt idiotic for not expecting her as he suppressed the urge to press his palm to his forehead. "I'm sorry… I guess my head was someplace else when Mr Kobayashi mentioned that." To Kota's surprise, Akina giggled at his response.

"The same thing may have happened to me when he mentioned your name." She sounded rather embarrassed when she brought it up. "Mr Kobayashi seems to have a habit of overloading people with his non-stop chatter. I guess it's a requirement if you want the principal position in our school" This time Kota let out a bit of a laugh, mostly out of relief that everything had been cleared up.

"The name's Kota Isarota." Kota gave a rushed bow which was more like a quick nod, though it didn't seem to bother Akina and she responded in similar fashion.

"Nice to meet you, but we're going to be late if we don't start making our way to the train station." Only then was Kota fully aware that he had to leave for school. He dashed around the room throwing together all of his supplies that were sprawled all over the floor.

"Where on Earth is my blazer?" Kota crawled around the floor looking for it when it occurred to him that he put all of his clothes in the wardrobe last night. He was about to open the wardrobe when Akina spoke up.

"Aren't you already wearing your uniform?"

Kota gave her a confused look but eventually realised that she was probably right. He looked down to confirm that he did indeed keep his uniform on when he went to bed. Akina giggled at his inability to remain aware of the clothes on his back.

"I understand that people are usually brain-dead by the time the school year starts again, but you really are something else." While Kota still found the whole ordeal almost humiliating, he couldn't help but feel good knowing that Akina was enjoying herself, even if it was only just a little. "So I hope you're used to running."

"… Why's that?"

"If we don't get moving soon, we're going to miss the train. Let's go!" Akina abruptly turned and sprinted down the hallway before she had finished her sentence. It seemed like they really were running late. After quickly slipping his feet into the nearest pair of shoes, Kota bolted after Akina, hoping he could exit the dorms before he lost sight of her.

* * *

Kota and Akina managed to slide through the train doors as they were closing. The two of them panted within the crowded carriage, which included several other students from Gekkoukan. As Kota's heart rate began to decline, he could feel the train taking off beneath his feet. When Akina too had recovered from the long run, she turned to the cyan-haired teen.

"Man you're fast. Are you an athlete by any chance?"

Kota found himself perplexed once more like he was for most of yesterday. How was he meant to respond to that when he remembered nothing before arriving at Iwatodai? He couldn't see anything good coming from telling her. What if she finds him strange or boring because of it?

"Y-Yeah, I did a bit of track and such." Lying to someone he just met didn't feel good but Kota felt as if he really didn't have a choice. Akina seemed pleased with the response was all that was all that really mattered to him.

"It's good to hear you actually take care of yourself. A guy at the school which I know is a real slob, so he could learn a few things from you."

Kota avoided keeping eye-contact with his schoolmate in an effort to halt the conversation, instead gazing out the nearest glass pane. For a while, there was nothing out there with the exception of the great ocean, sparkling from the morning sun and stretching out as far as the eye can see.

But as the train continued around the bend in the tracks, an island moved slowly into view. The island was jam-packed with numerous towers. There were four particular buildings at the corners of the square grid of towers that dwarfed those around them. They were so tall that they looked as though they were balancing the sky on the tips of their long spires.

"Wow..." Kota couldn't help but voice his amazement at how huge those towers were. Akina smiled upon hearing his reaction.

"Pretty nice, huh? See that building over there?" She pointed to a lonely white building by the edge of the island, quite some way away from the colossal towers. "That's our school, Gekkoukan. Let's hope that this year will be a good one." Akina had an adorable smile on her face as she spoke. The infectiousness of her smile got the better of Kota, who felt his own smile spread across his face.

A few minutes later the train stopped at Tatsumi Port Island Station. Unlike the dated Iwatodai Station, this station seemed like it was recently constructed, and was completely free of any wear or graffiti.

Kota was happy to know that he and Akina had plenty of time to make their way to the school, and didn't have to do any more running. They exited the train along with the large group of students and businesspeople.

"Why don't you follow me? There should be enough time for me show you some neat places on the island." Akina said. Kota could not have been happier to hear the request. He was so curious about Port Island that he was almost itching to look around.

"Sure! That would be great." He replied. Akina smiled at the cheerful response as she led him astray from the large cluster of people.

Tatsumi Port Island was a place that Kota thought couldn't possibly exist, a metropolis with grand skyscrapers which had only a small fraction of the noise and traffic that other great cities would attract. Kota could even smell the fresh sea breeze as he walked down one of the streets.

Minutes later the pair had left the tall buildings behind, only to be replaced with modest-sized apartment buildings with slick, modern designs.

"So... you didn't happen to come from a country town by any chance did you?" Akina spoke, attempting to start up a conversation. Kota panicked to the point where his feet briefly stopped functioning mid-walk, almost causing him to fall face first on the pavement. "Hey, are you ok?" Unfortunately for Kota, his trip up wasn't subtle in the slightest.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine and... yeah. The place I came from was pretty... isolated." Even though his response wasn't a confident one, Akina didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Really? Oh man, I'm so jealous of you. It must be nice to live in a quiet town so close to nature and being able to see the stars in the sky..."

"So have you always lived here, Yonashi?" Kota worked quickly to direct the topic of the conversation away from himself and onto Akina instead.

"Yeah, I've always lived here with my parents. Our family has actually lived in Iwatodai since it was first established, well before Port Island became the 'Business Capital of Japan' and people flocked from all over the country to become a part of it." Akina walked under a small shelter positioned in front of a set of tracks, only they were too close to the road to be train tracks, they also didn't look much like them.

"So what's this?" Kota referred to the shelter where a small crowd of people were already gathered. Akina looked rather amused upon hearing the question.

"This is a tram stop. The trams circle around most of the island, so I could give you a tour along one of them."

Right on time, the chime of a bell sounded down the street, heralding the approach of an electric tram. Having picked up everyone at the stop as well as dropping off a few others, the railed vehicle took off once again.

As the tram travelled along the tracks, Akina pointed out some of the more popular spots for students to hang out at including a large mall, a green, lush park and a shopping strip running along the beach, all of which were either new or had recent redevelopments. Finally, the pair disembarked sometime later in another residential area with wide streets. Kota noticed that several other students from Gekkoukan were turning down a large path further up the road.

"And... there you have it. That's pretty much all this place has to offer, so I hope it's to your liking." Akina said.

"Are you kidding? This place is amazing. Of course, I like it." Kota said. Akina laughed lightly, surprising Kota as he found himself mindlessly fidgeting from nervousness. "Uh... Did I say something odd just now?"

"Sorry, it's just kind of refreshing to see someone excited about this place. You don't seem like you're freaking out over being the new transfer student. How are you handling it?"

"I'm a little worried about what to expect, but the best thing I can do is take it all as it comes." In truth, Kota had a much larger problem to concern himself with, so the thought of starting school as the new kid didn't faze him in the slightest.

"I don't deal with stress well at all, so it's good to see that you're keeping it together." The pale-skinned girl bit her lip and looked at the ground deep in thought. "Listen... If you didn't mind hanging out with me today, you could always come to see me... if you want."

"Huh?"

"D-Don't get the wrong idea! If you end up making other friends, you can just forget it." After her outburst, Akina shied away from Kota's confused gaze, her light skin only making the bright red colour that flamed around her cheeks as she clutched her right arm. "Sorry, I'm not used to being a guide or anything like that. That was stupid of me to ask."

"No, it's fine. I was hoping to rely on you to show me around the school anyway." Before things could get any more awkward between them, a series of loud tones from the distance snapped Akina into a sudden realisation.

"Crap that's the bell. Come on, we need to get moving." Akina grabbed Kota's wrist and pulled him towards the school forcing him to run alongside her.

"We're doing this again?" Akina didn't respond, clearly focused on reaching the school building before the second bell sounded.

* * *

Thankfully the school was barely one hundred metres ahead of them, meaning that the pair was able to find their names on the class board and head to their classrooms before the second bell rang. Both Kota and Akina were put in the same class, class 2-C. By the time the two arrived, most of the students were already there. They were all busying themselves talking to one another in small groups or seated at their desks organising their belongings, all except one.

A boy with dirty-blonde hair was seated towards the back of the room with his legs resting on his desk. His brown eyes were staring straight up at the ceiling as he was leaning back on the two hind legs of his chair, occupied by the music playing through his earphones. His uniform was accessorised with a large silver watch and four pins clamped on the right breast of his jacket, each bearing a picture of a guitar, bass guitar, drum set and microphone over their red, green, yellow and blue backgrounds respectively.

Akina looked at the boy across the room and sighed out of frustration. She walked up to him and kicked the table from underneath his feet. With a surprised look on his face, the blonde lowered his vision to realise that he was slowly falling backwards. The facial expression that followed had 'Oh crap...' written all over it as he hit the ground with a thud. Several of students nearby jumped as the noise rang through the classroom, but they eventually got back to what they were previously doing as though it was hardly a rare occurrence.

"That's for not replying to any of my texts! Some of us like having a social life, you know." The boy hadn't moved at all after he fell. He remained lying on his chair and staring at the ceiling, stunned.

"Oh, hello Akina, it's nice to see you again... and yes, I did enjoy my holidays... thanks for asking..." The boy sounded as if he was in pain, but somehow he kept still as though he was a statue.

"Maybe if you weren't such a slacker you would actually get nicer greetings from me." The boy finally lifted his head off the floor and pushed himself into a sitting position before rubbing the back of his short spiky hair.

"Look who's talking. I wasn't the one who decided to come to class after the first bell."

"That's because I was asked to show one of the new guys around." Akina then grabbed Kota by the arm and pulled him towards her. "This is Kota Isarota. Isarota, this clown's name is Jaden Gatogi."

"Jay-den?" While the boy didn't necessarily look Japanese the foreign name caught Kota by surprise due to how well he spoke earlier.

"Yeah… I'm half-English, hence the hair." Jaden referred to his natural blonde strands as he ran his left hand through it. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you." Jaden held out his other hand before Kota shook it. "I hope Akina wasn't beating you up every passing minute."

"She did slam a door in my face this morning before I met her, but she was fine after that."

"No kidding? She must like you then." Jaden started to laugh heartedly, oblivious to the eyes that were still looking over at the trio. Looking a little red in the face, the girl grabbed Jaden by the ear.

"Why do you always have to make me out to be some brute? That's no way to talk about a lady!"

"If you want me to treat you like a girl, you should start by acting like one." Jaden looked to be in some discomfort as he simply pointed to Akina's hand pulling at him. Defeated, Akina released her friend and stared solely at the ground.

"Y-You know that the door-thing was an accident right?" She directed her words at Kota. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me," Akina spoke awkwardly, not able to look anywhere but the tiles around her feet as she spoke to him.

"That's more like it. You look so cute when you get all embarrassed."

The chimes from the classroom's intercom rang loudly as Akina stomped her shoe over Jaden's foot. With the homeroom teacher arriving shortly after, students moved in all directions to claim ownership of a desk, except for Jaden who had to rearrange his furniture as he was limping from the latest assault. Kota had taken one of the two desks in the centre of the classroom with Akina taking the other one just in front of Jaden.

The teacher had short light brown hair, dark grey eyes and looked to be in her late twenties. She walked up to the podium at the front of the classroom with her white shirt and brown jacket and placed a thick folder in front of her. The students quietened down as they saw that the teacher prepared her speech.

"Welcome, students of class 2-C, to another year at Gekkoukan High. I am Ms Toriumi, I teach Composition, and will be your homeroom teacher for the next 12 months. I would like to acknowledge that we have a few students who are attending Gekkoukan for the first time this year, so when I say your name I would like for you to stand up and introduce yourself to the class…"

* * *

The final bell of the day sounded as the Gekkoukan students spilt out of the school hall where the new principal, Masata Kobayashi, gave his opening speech for the year. Just as Kota expected, Kobayashi delivered the speech abysmally. He had given his script to one of the staff members and called out "line" every time he forgot what to say next, which was quite often. On top of that, his jokes were poorly received and he would awkwardly smile and scratch the back of his head when he couldn't get a reaction from the crowd. But to his credit, the welcoming ceremony wasn't as boring as Kota imagined it would have otherwise been.

"Hey, Isarota!" Kota turned towards the feminine voice to see Akina and Jaden emerge from the hall doors. "Are you free this afternoon? We're heading to Paulownia Mall to get something to eat." For a moment, Kota thought about declining so he could talk to the principal about his enrolment, but he didn't want to miss the opportunity to get to know the two. He was about to accept when he remembered that he left his wallet at home during the rush to the station that morning.

"That sounds great, but I left my money back at the dorm in the rush to get here. It would be weird if I just tagged along without eating anything."

"It's not a problem, Jaden here will cover you." Jaden, who was initially preoccupied with his phone, looked at Akina in alarm.

"Wait, what? Shouldn't I the one who makes the decisions with my money?"

"Oh come on Jaden, you're loaded. A few hundred yen wouldn't hurt." The corners of Akina's mouth started to curve up upwards. "Now that I think about it, Jaden, would you please pay for my food while you're at it?" She spoke as sweetly as she possibly could while having one of her toes pivot on the spot.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on." Jaden waved his hands in front of him in an animated fashion. "You can pay for your own food, can't you?"

"Well considering that you owe me for prioritising your video games in front of me, I would think that buying me lunch would be a great way to make up for it."

"You're still upset about that?" Kota noticed something about Akina change. While maintaining her innocent outward appearance, her eyes suddenly became cold and were directly gazing at Jaden, daring him to continue to argue. In what was probably a wise move by Jaden, he gave up. "Alright, I'll pay for your food too. Just expect the food to be cheap ok?"

"I'm fine with that as long as you don't make me eat at Wild-Duck Burger."

"Why not?" Jaden seemed incredibly disappointed but didn't wait for a response. "Fine…" he sighed. It turned out Akina wasn't someone that should be messed with, Kota made sure that he made a mental note of that.

* * *

"So what did Yonashi mean by you being loaded?" Kota asked Jaden as they left they headed towards the tram stop with Akina.

"Well, my father's head of the Japanese National Bank branch in Port Island. The branch opened here about a year ago, so I'm still kind of new to this place."

"Yeah, to think you're the son of someone like that and I still hang out with you," Akina spoke.

"Huh?" Kota gave her a confused look, not understanding why she felt like that.

"Oh right, you wouldn't know." Akina rubbed the back of her head as if she felt she was foolish in bringing it up. "My parents help organise the Iwatodai Future Preservation Group, it's an organisation that looks at protecting the wildlife near the Iwatodai region amongst other things. They've been at odds with the JNB because they've been investing in developments that require the destruction of the surrounding animal habitats."

"Well, I don't see what the big fuss is about. I mean the trees aren't doing much for us by just standing there." By saying that, Jaden clearly hit a sore spot on Akina who had started to tense up before yelling at the blonde.

"I'll have you know that while money-hungry folks like yours don't see much use in trees, the wildlife there relies on them for both food and shelter! Yet they choose to eradicate their habitat for the sake of building another baseball stadium or a shopping mall that we don't even need!" Akina blew up and lucky for Jaden, he had Kota walking along in between them so things wouldn't get too hostile. Looking to desperately defuse the situation, Kota interjected.

"So that makes you guys star-crossed lovers or something like that, huh?" Akina pulled an emotional one-eighty and chuckled once the sentence sunk in.

"No no no, you've got the wrong idea! We're not like that, not even close."

"Ouch... you don't have to look so pleased about it." With that, the three of them arrived at the tram stop just as the tram came into view.

* * *

As the sun begun to set, Kota arrived at his dormitory after having a bite and strolling around the mall with Jaden and Akina. While the pair wasn't what he was expecting when he thought about the sort of friends he would make, they were certainly fun to hang out with, even if Kota had to put up with their bickering from time to time.

He turned his attention to the dormitory. It was as quiet and empty as it was when he first arrived yesterday. Kota couldn't help but feel a little sad now that he didn't have any company. Knowing that it can't be helped, he headed straight to his room. Kota turned on the lights and was about to stride in when he noticed something laying on the floor inches from his foot. He picked up the small device and closely observed it.

Simply put, it was a wristwatch, only there was something a touch unsettling about it as he looked into the clock's face. The strap and case of the watch were made of a worn, silver metal with only small patches of it being reflective. The case bore one solitary crown on its side. The crown would be typical of watches that could be used to adjust the time. However, this watch didn't appear to display the time.

The glass appeared to contain nothing but darkness with not a number or hand in sight. It felt as though Kota was looking into an empty void. Not only did Kota not remember seeing such a device while he was unpacking his things the other day, but it was also a model that he wasn't familiar with.

Figuring that he was just too tired to remember seeing it, Kota placed it on top of his neatly organised desk. He changed into his sleepwear and got into bed as darkness swept over Iwatodai. Holding onto the thoughts of living out a peaceful life at his school free of worry put a rare smile on Kota's face, as he drifted into what started out as a pleasant sleep.


	2. The Plunge to Oblivion

**Chapter 2: Tuesday, 9th April**

Falling into a much deeper sleep than the previous night, Kota felt his consciousness drift out of his body as his surroundings started to glow a deep blue. Opening his eyes to the sound of methodical ticking, Kota found that he was no longer in his bedroom. He was seated in an eerie looking room while surrounded by cameras. Across the table from Kota, two strange but familiar looking figures were there waiting for him. The seated man stared at Kota intensely while the younger girl fidgeted with her fingers while looking down at her feet.

"Ah. It seems that our guest has returned." Igor, the man with the long nose, had an intrigued glint in his eye.

"I've been here before, haven't I?" Kota was still caught in a daze, but he remembered this place. Just not 'when' he came here or how he got here.

"Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world." Kota blinked in an effort to wake himself fully, but the fog that lingered inside his head didn't clear.

"Who are you two?" Kota looked to Elsa, the girl that stood to the right of Igor, but she averted her eyes from his gaze and turned her head.

"Elsa, my dear. Please don't turn away from our guest. We must see that he feels welcome." Igor's voice was stern, though supportive of the youthful assistant.

"I-I'm sorry, Master." Else's golden eyes met Kota's dull blue for a fleeting moment before her face reddened. She averted her eyes from the cyan-haired teen and looked down at the tiled floor once again.

"You must excuse my assistant. She is inexperienced in handling these matters and is understandably nervous." Kota narrowed his eyes, making it known that he was waiting for an answer. "It matters to you not who we are, but you should take comfort in the fact that we are here to assist you on your upcoming journey as an aspiring Shepard."

"Shepard?" Kota repeated blankly. A part of him wanted to dismiss the whole thing as a strange dream. It would save him from piling more questions on top of the ones he already had about himself.

"Tell me, what do think of when you hear the word 'fate'?"

"I really don't know." Kota acted disinterested in a hope that he would be left alone. He didn't know if he could deal with any more absurdity in his life.

"Some believe fate is a predetermined series of events that all are doomed to live through. Some see fate as something that can be grasped and controlled, while others feel that fate doesn't truly exist. The answer is up to you to find out. In order to take the first step towards that answer, we will see what your immediate future has in store for you."

With a snap of Igor's glove-covered fingers, a glistening silver object was conjured on the table beneath Kota's nose. Stunned by the sudden appearance, Kota's eyes interactively darted down to the flat, circular object. It looked like a coin small enough to fit comfortably in the centre of his palm, though the light reflecting off the surface made it difficult to see what was on it.

Picking up the object, Kota found one side of the coin bearing what looked to be a rather plain-looking mask. The mask had a vacant expression and was divided into two halves with one side bearing a reflective surface and the other being non-reflective. Turning the coin to face the opposite way up, Kota was met with a totally bland surface with nothing of the face.

"Go on." Igor's words reached his ears, urging Kota to do something with the unusual piece of metal. He questioned what he was expected to do when a thought occurred to him. He rested the coin on the index finger of his closed hand, readying his thumb to strike it from beneath.

The crisp sound rang through the air as Kota propelled the coin into the air. His focus never wavered from the spinning coin as it rose and fell, emitting soft vibrations all the while. Before it could reach the table, Kota caught it with his right hand before slamming it onto the back of his opposite hand.

With a slap, blue shards burst out from between his hands, lingering for a fleeting moment before being absorbed by the plain tarot card that Igor had in front of him, causing it to glow briefly. When the light vanished, the once vacant card now had a picture of a flame being controlled by two hands with a set of eyes watching over it.

"The magician in the upright position," said Igor. "While this card symbolises immaturity and inexperience, it also symbolises hidden power." Igor smiled broadly upon saying the last couple of words. "Of course, a reading such as this is hardly surprising when it's referring to someone with as much potential as you."

"Why me?" Fed up with the cryptic talk from Igor, Kota spoke tiredly. Things have been happening so quickly for him that he felt as though he was going to go crazy. With a sigh, he absentmindedly muttered to himself. "What am I supposed to do?"

"That's a question that common among all who've lived, yet only you could possibly find the answer." Multiple chimes sounded through the void beyond the room, each sound loud enough to "It seems as though we have kept here for long enough. We will be sure to clarify everything for you the next time you visit. Until next time… Pathfinder." Kota felt his entire body go heavy as he started to slip out of conscious. Kota's vision of the velvet room and the two figures faded, only to be replaced by his bedroom ceiling.

* * *

Even though his eyes were already open, the sound of knocking on wood woke him from his dream. He shakily pushed himself into a sitting position and placed his hand on his soaked forehead.

"Are you awake in there? We'll need to get moving soon!" Akina's voice carried through the closed door. Fortunately, the classmate didn't open the door and see him in the sweaty mess he was in.

"I-I'm up," said Kota hazily. His mind took a little time to kick into gear as his surroundings seemed to morph from the room in his dream to his bedroom. "I'll be out in a second."

"I'll be waiting downstairs. Try not to take too long. I don't want to run after the train like we did yesterday." As Akina walked off, Kota scrambled to get his clothing and equipment together. Before he left, he looked back at the suspicious watch, resting on the desk by its lonesome. Strangely drawn to the piece of tech, he quickly grabbed it, shoved it in his bag and raced downstairs hoping the first train hadn't already left.

* * *

 **Friday, 12th April**

Most of the week passed without anything particularly interesting happening. Akina had always dropped by Kota's dorm on the way to school, even if it always resulted in the two of them having to race the train to the station every morning. While Kota spoke to Akina often when he had the opportunity, the beanie-wearing girl was often busying herself with the school's Environmental Club. She was the supportive person for Kota during his transition period, but he came second to the organisation that her parents operated. Even after knowing Akina for a few days, Kota could tell how important it was to her by how hard she worked for its clause.

Jaden seemed to have more time on his hands, though he never seemed eager to socialise. He would either be absorbed with his smartphone during the breaks or retreating to his place once the final bell had sounded. The only time Kota has seen Jaden not occupied with his music or his phone is when Akina is around to demand his attention.

With the start of the lunch break, Akina went through the motions of gathering her notes from the previous lesson and jamming them in her school bag. She looked like a woman on a mission, though she had a tired look on her face.

"Busy with your club?" Kota was disappointed that she was quick to leave the classroom, but wasn't going to stop her.

"You know it," Akina sighed. "I'm having to chase up the other members and collect some paperwork from them."

"Don't work yourself too hard." Akina took a break from packing and gave Kota a reassuring smile.

"This is nothing for me. Still, thanks for your concern." After gathering the last of her stationery, she stood up from her desk. "Excuse me. I've got to get a move on." Kota just gave a nod and the girl took her leave.

Pulling out his wallet from his pant pocket, Kota considered making a move for the school's newly-implemented cafeteria when he noticed Jaden, still seated behind the amnesiac student, leaning on his desk with his face buried in his arms. Kota could hear the drum and guitars playing through the headphones secured in the blonde's ears.

Kota knocked on Jaden's desk with his knuckles, the noise loud enough to stir Jaden from his powernap as the half-British student looked up his disturber.

"Who are you listening to?"

"You wouldn't know them." Jaden took out one of his earphones and held it out for the transfer student. Kota immediately recognised the song's genre being western rock music. While he wasn't a music enthusiast, he understood that the song sounded as though it was at least a couple of decades old. What's more, the lyrics were English, making it impossible for Kota to understand the lead vocalist.

"You understand all this?" Impressed, Kota removed the headphone and returned it his classmate.

"Pretty much." Jaden accepted the headphone back from his classmate and placed it on the desk with the other one. "Do you want something?"

"Huh?" Jaden was eyeing the wallet Kota had in his hand. Not wanting to create a misunderstanding, the cyan-haired student hid the wallet under his deck. "Just a chat."

"Relax. It's fine if you don't have the money for lunch."

"Really, I have enough on me." Akina may not have had any issues with begging for free meals, but Kota didn't know him much better than most of the other schoolmates.

"If you say so." Jaden almost seemed uncomfortable as he slipped the earphones in his pocket and stood up from his desk. "I kind of want to chill by myself today but if you're up for it, we can hang out some other day."

"Sure thing." Kota was left unsure of what Jaden thought of him as the blonde headed for the door. He seemed friendly enough whenever Akina happened to be around, but otherwise, he would be reclusive and shy away from the transfer student. Jaden wasn't the easiest person to approach but Kota was still hopeful that his classmate will warm up to him soon.

"Isarota." Daichi Imatsu, an athletic boy whose dark, shoulder-length hair served as his most distinctive trait amongst the guys in his class, called out to Kota as he stopped by his desk. "The guys are eating in the usual spot if you want to tag along." Jaden took notice of the two talking to one another, glancing at the boy over shoulder briefly before disappearing as he turned down the hallway.

"I'll be happy to." Like Kota, Daichi transferred to Gekkoukan at the start of the year. He'd banded together with other new students and has been nice enough to ask Kota to come along on occasion. While thankful for the invites, Kota felt like he was on the outer of the group as he never contributed to stories of the lives before moving to Port Island, for obvious reasons. Still, Kota would always join them as he felt that he didn't have the luxury of turning them down.

Joining Daichi on the way to the cafeteria, Kota couldn't help but wish that Akina and Jaden were showing him around the island again, entertaining him with their amusing bickering.

* * *

 **Saturday, 13th April**

Kota only just sat down for the start of the final school day of the week when he was set upon by a familiar classmate.

"Do you want to hang out after school today?"

"Huh?" Kota was caught off-guard by Jaden's sudden invitation.

"Well today's meant to be a half-day, so I was wondering if you had time to came over to my place."

"Well... Yeah, I'm up for that." In truth, Kota felt almost desperate finding excuses to not return his dorm after school. The large, quiet rooms always gave him chills.

"Nice." Jaden beamed a smile at his classmate.

"I'm here too, you know." Akina piped up from the seat next to Kota, sounding a little annoyed that the guys were chatting as though she wasn't there.

"Sorry…" Jaden apologised awkwardly for not noticing her earlier. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine, thank you." Akina seemed pleased with the blonde's polite greeting. "So am I invited?"

"Will you be alright with spending the night watching action-thriller movies and playing video games?"

"I guess not," Akina replied, sounding somewhat disappointed. Kota wasn't big on video games, but he wouldn't let that stop him. Jaden nodded at Kota.

"I'll see you at the end of classes then." Jaden put on his earphones and hummed happily to the music as he returned to his seat.

"Well, I see that you have yourself a play date," Akina teased as Kota turned to her.

"You could say that. To be honest, I'm looking forward to spending some time out of the dorms for once." Akina looked away from Kota and stared at the whiteboard in front of her, looking rather conflicted about something. "Hey, what's the matter? You look as though you have something on your mind." Akina turned to look over her shoulder for a moment before leaning towards Kota and gesturing him to do the same.

"I'm just worried that Jaden's going to make a fool of himself in front of you," Akina spoke in a hushed voice. Kota brief glanced at the desk behind him to see that Jaden was too absorbed in his music to hear what was being said.

"Why would you need to worry about that?" Kota was sure to lower his voice too, just in case Jaden was more aware of his surroundings than they thought.

"You don't know him quite like I do. He may not seem like it, but he is actually a total snob." Kota just raised an eyebrow in response. Sure Kota hadn't known Jaden for long, but he just seemed like a laid-back guy who doesn't care for all that much, not someone who would go on about how much money he has. "I mean don't get me wrong he's a nice guy, but when he's at his apartment, he can't stop talking about how expensive the place is while showing off his state of the art electronics."

"Is it really that bad?" Akina gave a slight nod.

"He can be really immature when it comes to talking to people, so just be tolerant with him, okay? I'm sure he doesn't mean to be nasty or anything."

"You really worry about him, huh?" Kota spoke up with a smile. Truth be told, Kota was curious about how the two of them became friends in the first place, seeing that the two were so different.

"I'm… just doing what friends do," Akina shrugged. "Someone has to look out for him." She brushed it off so quickly that she made it sound like it was a chore that she had to do. It made Kota a little uneasy as Ms Toriumi picked that moment to enter the classroom, just moments before the second bell.

* * *

"Ready to go?" Kota had barely started packing school bag when Jaden suddenly appeared beside him with his orange backpack casually hanging over one of his shoulders.

"Not yet. Just give me a moment." Kota packed his bag with a little more urgency as Akina looked on from over his shoulder.

"Be sure not to bore the new kid too much." Jaden briefly let out a light chuckle.

"He'll be fine. What guy doesn't like speaker systems, sports cars and computers?" Akina lowered her eyes. Kota knew that she was still concerned about how things would turn out, but he couldn't share that feeling. Surely she made it sound worse than it will be.

"Alright, let's get going," Kota spoke as he arose from his chair, bag in hand. Jaden nodded as he led the way out of the classroom, leaving Akina behind. After a few steps towards the building's front exit, Jaden spoke up in a strange, monotone matter.

"Akina seems to worry about you." As much as he wanted to, Kota hardly thought about forging friendships. He had a feeling that was a lot to do with the fact that he didn't have any similar relationships to look back on and it affected how he interacted with everyone.

"I guess it's because I'm new to this place. For all I know, she's just doing it to be welcoming," Kota picked his words in such a way that downplayed his friendship with her. Since that morning, the transfer student had a sinking feeling about the state of Jaden and Akina's own friendship. The last thing he wanted to do was create a wedge between them.

"Yeah... she could be…" They didn't talk to one another in an uneasy silence until they exited the school building. At that point, Jaden looked to be back to his normal self after pushing that thought to the side. "Whereabouts are you staying? You moved into a dorm right?" Welcoming the change of topic, Kota let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"It's in Iwatodai, about a ten-minute run from the station."

"Run? Not walk?"

"Akina and I always manage to put ourselves in positions where we have to run to catch the train in the mornings."

"Ah, gotcha." Jaden paused, smiling before speaking again. "The buildings over there are pretty old huh? A lot of the buildings over there didn't get renovated along with the island. My penthouse is here on the island, so you don't have to worry about walking for too long before we get there. There're a lot of luxurious apartment buildings since they were all recently built, but it just so happened that dad's work bought one of the more expensive penthouses for him, not that we really needed them to buy it for us with the amount of money he's making..."

Jaden continued to talk and Kota felt himself rapidly lose interest in what was being said. He subconsciously lowered the volume of Jaden's words as Kota decided to move his eyes around between the faces of different students filing out the school grounds.

"So... the school decided to give students half days on Saturdays... what do you think caused that?" Kota turned his head slightly away from Jaden and towards a soft-spoken voice that wasn't directed at him. Another pair of students was walking slightly behind him where Kota was able to see them over his shoulder.

The voice belonged to a rather slender girl with fair-coloured, wavy hair running just past her shoulders with a fringe that barely reached the bridge of her nose. She carried a plain brown backpack and Kota was able to see from his perspective her amethyst-like eyes glancing at her companion from behind her glasses.

The person she was talking to was a guy about Kota's own height, casually carrying his school bag by wedging it between his left forearm and body while his hand was buried in his pocket. His messy black hair unevenly covered his forehead above his blue eyes. Kota immediately noticed that the boy wore a padded glove, like the ones worn by goalkeepers in a football game, on his right hand. His uniform also lacked a tie while his shirt had its topmost button undone, revealing the black shirt he wore underneath.

"Well, it was bound to happen with all the talks of stress and anxiety causing that sickness a few years back." The boy spoke in an almost dry tone. "I'm just surprised that it took this long." Upon mentioning the word sickness, the girl darted her eyes towards the ground, looking as if she had accidentally brought up some taboo topic.

"Oh no..." The girl quickly gave eye contact to her companion again. "I-I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to bring that up!" The boy shied away from her gaze and sighed.

"It's fine... really." The girl still looked troubled, but she let the feeling slide before speaking up.

"So are you planning on doing something now? Maybe we could go see a movie to pass the time."

"I can't... I've got to look after the house."

"Oh... maybe another time then?"

"... Maybe" At that moment the two groups of students walked through the large gates a parted from one another as Jaden's voice seemed to have returned, despite the fact that he had never stopped chatting.

* * *

The walk from the school gates to Jaden's apartment building took five minutes at most. The building itself was isolated from other tall buildings on the island, dwarfing the restaurants and other storefronts that lined the same street.

Jaden led Kota through the elegant lobby where the receptionist eyed Kota suspiciously but got back to reading his magazine when he saw Jaden with him. The two students then entered the nearest elevator with Jaden pressing the number 25, taking them to the top of the building.

A short trip down a small hallway later and Kota found himself in a very grand, very large white room with reflective marble flooring and windows lining a great proportion of the room showing a spectacular view of the beach and nearby shopping strip. From where Kota stood, he could see a small kitchen in the corner of the room complete with a bar and stools and large screen TV placed in front of two white leather couches and a white fur carpet.

"So what do you think? About the place, I mean." It was the first time Jaden allowed Kota to speak since they had left the Gekkoukan school grounds.

"It definitely beats the dormitory, that's for sure." Jaden was happy with the response, showing a pleasant grin.

"Neat! Let me show you some of the stuff I have." Jaden said with excitement as he led Kota through one of the adjacent doors. Unlike the entrance hall, this room was nowhere near as open or well kept. Judging by the fact that a bed was wedged in the far corner of the room, Kota believed that it was Jaden's bedroom. Every corner was filled with computers, gaming consoles, manga and even empty snack wrappers.

"I hope you don't mind the mess. This is kind of like my personal retreat away from my parents whenever they're home. Here, let me show you my PC gaming rig." Again Jaden began to rant, but this time it was about the different machines that he owned, when and how he came across it and how much it cost him. Needless to say that Jaden was a real enthusiast when it came to hardware, but Kota could feel that Jaden had some sort of ulterior motive to showing off all of his prized possessions other than to just make friends. That aside, Kota wondering mind came across the watch he put in his bag earlier that week.

"Can I interrupt you for a moment?" Jaden looked surprised and maybe a little annoyed that he was spoken over the top of.

"… Sure. What is it?" Kota put his bag on a nearby table beside a bunch of loose cables and fished out the odd device.

"Do you have any idea what this is? I don't remember how I came across it." Kota handed the object to Jaden who carefully took hold of it. He peered at the metal object at various angles and even went on to shake it.

"What is this thing? Is it even on?" Jaden pushed on the crown of the watch, letting out a sharp click that crudely filled Kota's ears. Following that, a ripple that emitted from the centre of the face, lighting up the outer rim of the glass face with an intense red ring. "What the hell!?"

The moment Kota leaned in to look at the watch, a white piercing light shot out of the device and onto the eyes of the two Gekkoukan students. The blinded students let out a yell of surprise before their consciousness quickly left them.

* * *

Kota felt himself lying on a hard metallic surface as he opened his eyes. The place he was in was very much unfamiliar. It was dark, cold and deathly silent. Kota rolled over onto his front, preparing to push himself up before he saw Jaden lying next to him. Crawling over to the boy, Kota gently shook the boy's shoulder.

"Gatogi... Gatogi, get up." Jaden moaned and stirred slightly before he woke up. He slowly got to his feet along with Kota, the latter carefully observing his surroundings. They were in a hallway with the floor, walls and ceiling entirely made up of worn metal plates. There were occasional gaps in the walls and ceilings which gave way to electrical wires dangling precariously from their elevated position.

"Where the hell are we?" Jaden's eyes glazed over the hallway in his immediate proximity before locking on to Kota with an annoyed glare. "Where did you take us!?"

"I don't know! I've never seen this place." Kota took a moment to steady his breathing, not letting the panic get to him. "We should get out of here… This place doesn't feel safe." Rather than complying with Kota's words, Jaden remained silent, his eyes now fixed on the dark abyss that was the where the long hallway led. He took a step forward.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Again Jaden didn't respond, continuing to walk until he was almost out of Kota's view "Gatogi, we need to get out of here."

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to!" Jaden snapped as he continued to move towards the darkness. It barely took a moment for Kota to decide to follow, something was wrong with Jaden and he couldn't be left alone. Furthermore, Kota didn't have a clue on how he was going to leave despite desperately wanting to.

* * *

The two students walked through the gloomy maze barely speaking to one another. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed off the walls of the dark hallway. Despite appearing to be the only ones there, Kota felt that he was being watched by something every step of the way. The feeling of uneasiness continued to dwell within him.

"Hey, Gatogi. You don't think we should head back now?" Again, Jaden wasn't interested in Kota's words. He had tried numerous times to get Jaden to turn back, but lately, it was like he wasn't even acknowledging Kota.

Finally, Kota was able to make out something which was at the end of a particularly long hallway, a set of thick sliding doors. It was obvious to Kota that Jaden hadn't been acting like himself since arriving in this unwelcoming place.

Upon approaching the set of sliding doors, the pair found that one of them was busted, slightly ajar without any source of light on the other side. Jaden wordlessly slid through the tight gap through the doors. Letting out a tired sigh, Kota felt as though he had no choice to follow him.

The moment that Kota made it to the other side, the doors slammed shut, leaving the two teens in total darkness and causing alarm bells to sound in the amnesiac boy's mind. The sound of electricity flowing through the room echoed amongst the non-visible walls before several lights powered on, eradicating the darkness.

Compared to the rest of the metal maze, the room didn't look run down at all. Several rows of computer monitors filled most of the room, flashing between meaningless chunks of text. A single aisle lay ahead of Kota, running from the doorway to a raised circular area where Jaden stood. The walls were also covered with monitors of various sizes with the exception of a large window directly opposite the door, showing an empty black void on the other side. The room appeared to be like the bridge of a spaceship straight out of a science-fiction film.

Strangely enough, the floor space surrounding Jaden was entirely covered with a range of kid toys. Train models, toy cars, plastic guns and action figures were among the sea of metal and plastic. The vibes that the room gave Kota was chilling, more so than those that the corridors emitted previously.

"Gatogi, what is this place?" Jaden kept his back to Kota, staring out into the nothingness beyond the thick glass. Jaden spoke after several moments of the suffocating silence, but his one word barely reached Kota's ears.

"Oblivion..." Jaden slowly turned to face his classmate. He suddenly looked incredibly tired with his slouched posture and dark rings running around both of his eyes. What really scared Kota were the boy's brown eyes, glazed over like he wasn't able to see.

"You can't hear it? It's... calling to me."


	3. Wanderer of the Depths

**Chapter 3: Saturday, 13th April**

Chills immediately shot down Kota's spine, as he instinctively recoiled from the sight of Jaden and the bland, emotionless tone that he spoke in. Mustering all the composure that he had left, Kota met his classmate's empty gaze.

"W-what are you talking about?" Kota asked. Jaden's shoulders dropped but otherwise didn't immediately react to Kota's question.

"Figures... I've always thought you were slow..." Kota felt the eyes watching him again. It was as if he was being stalked.

"You don't look well, Gatogi. Why don't we try to-"

"Drop the nice guy act, Isarota."

"Huh?"

"You don't have to pretend anymore. It's not like we're at school, where your friends are watching." Jaden's previously-empty eyes showed a glint of anger as he glared at Kota "Admit it, you think you're SO much better than me…"

"Where is this coming from all of a sudden?" Kota briskly waded through the sea of action figures to reach Jaden. "We can talk about this once get back to your place."

"Back off, man!" As soon as Kota grasped Jaden's arm, the blonde pulled it away from him and staggered backwards. A dark aura radiated from the boy's body as he yelled. "It's too late for apologies!"

"Gatogi! Just calm down for a moment."

"No matter who, everyone would look at me like some sort of walking bank! They would all assume that I was some sort of money-blinded snob and not give me a second glance. Akina is different, but I bet she's is using me for information she could pass on to those tree-hugging hippies!"

"That can't be true!" Kota could sense that whatever was watching him was getting more agitated by the second. "This place is dangerous. We have to get out of here!"

"Why should I go back? I can't stand everyone having fun and talking between themselves! They won't ever know what I'm really like because they're too scared about what other people will think if they're seen with me! Of course, the last thing anyone would want is to be label as an ass-kisser who only cares about other people's money." Kota just remained still once Jaden's rant was over, fearful that anything he did would make matters worse. "I hate the lot of them... but you are, by far, the worst of them all..."

"Jaden..."

"I bet you're enjoying your time as the new kid. You have plenty of people like Akina bending over backwards and making sure you feel at home. It makes me sick."

"I... never asked for any of it." Guilt started to set in as Kota found himself at a loss for words. It felt like there was no way he could calm him down.

"It's not fair! Why the hell did I not get any of that when I came here?" Jaden screamed as the dark aura around him grew more intense. "Fine, I can see that I'm not wanted… I guess I'll just have to disappear then!"

Black streams of tar burst from out of several of the monitors of the walls and merged together. The toys that were sprawled all over the floor sped off in all directions and covered the majority of the surrounding walls. In moments, the centre of the room was almost entirely taken up by a ball of black ooze.

Within seconds, the ball burst with a force that knocked Kota off his feet. From where the ball once was, there was a 12-foot tall crimson red mecha with a pair of strong metallic legs, and a mounted gun in place of its right hand. The main body was a thick block of metal, undoubtedly storing wiring, weaponry and possibly a pilot. The face of the mecha was made up of two orange neon headlights and several vents that blew out copious amounts of hot air. In the very centre was a small silver icon making out the shape of a small flame.

"This world has forsaken me..." Jaden spoke with an unrecognisable voice, one filled with anger and frustration. "It's cursed me with loneliness, and that is why I want no further part of it!" The blonde pointed at Kota, gazing at him with cold, empty eyes. "If you won't leave me be, then I won't hesitate to destroy you."

Pushing himself onto his feet, Kota looked at Jaden. As scared as he was of the giant machine standing between them, he couldn't bring himself to move. The boy that stood there was Jaden, and Kota wasn't going to turn his back on him, no matter how little he could do about it.

"You're not thinking straight... Jaden, this place is making you think negatively about everything! This isn't you!" The blue-haired teen observed Jaden's face for any signs of emotion. "Please... this isn't what you want!"

A moment passed without the slightest bit of movement, with Kota's plea lingering in the room as the words echo from wall to wall.

"You're not leaving?" Jaden's cold words made Kota's heart sink. "Then you can die for all I care!"

With a tight clench of his fist, the large machine was brought to life. The roar that sounded from its frontal vents was much like that of a fighter jet on start-up, blasting Kota's eardrum to the point of them nearly caving in as it spat out a wave of hot air. Kota put his hands in front of him and shut his eyes to keep his eyes from drying up. When he felt the air settle slightly, the cyan-haired boy opened his eyes just in time to see the machine make its first move.

As the mecha turned on its rear-mounted jets, the machine moved towards Kota surprisingly quickly for its size. Only sheer instinct and adrenaline made the teen dive out of danger as the large projectile ploughed through several computers in its way before crashing into the toy-covered wall.

"You must have a death wish, choosing to stay here." The machine's left hand sunk into its arm, only to be replaced with a ball attached to a chain, lowering and increasing in length before suddenly expanding in size. When the mecha's headlights fixed on Kota's position, the ball lit up in a burning red inferno. The great amount of heat that the thing was giving off around started to make Kota sweat.

"I'll be seeing you on the other side..." The mecha slowly approached the downed teen, seeing the hopelessness in his eyes. The flaming ball was raised, preparing to be brought back down to inflict the fatal blow.

Just as the ball started to swing downwards… everything vanished. In a blink of an eye, Kota found himself in a white void with no other visible being or object.

"Shepherd of humanity…" A deep, authoritative voice boomed from the heavens. "You are destined to lead your world to fight your fate. Look within yourself, and find the power to combat the beings that wish to destroy your kind. You must persist through the hardships and find your purpose, for the whole world depends on it."

A blue butterfly, the one Kota saw when he arrived at Iwatodai, appeared out of thin air and fluttered up to the teen. Kota watched as the insect transformed to a small coin before his eyes. As it twirled in the air, the cyan-haired boy noticed that one side of the coin had an image of a mask, just like the one in his dream, while the other side bared the image of a jester and a dog at the edge of a cliff.

"It is time…" The voice boomed as the sound of a great bell tolling filled his ears. With a light ring, the coin shot up in the sky, spinning rapidly and giving off a dim glow.

The boy's heart rate rose dramatically as he brought out a shaky hand. He took a couple of deep breaths in order to ease the shaking as the coin started to descend upon him. Eyes fixed on the coin, Kota slowly whispered out the word to summon the fearsome power he had within him.

"Per...so...na..."

* * *

Kota snatched the coin mid-fall and slapped it on the back of his opposing hand, releasing a powerful burst of wind that sent the deranged machine flying into the far wall. Kota was enveloped in a great blue flame before he found himself on his feet, wearing a dark hooded suit that was unbuttoned to show his white shirt underneath.

The gusts of wind continued to surround him, keeping his now bright blue eyes on the enemy. The coin had combusted into a great number of tiny fragments and spiralled around Kota before expanding and gather behind him into the shape of a being.

"I am thou, Thou art I. From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Dante, Venturer of Hell." The cloaked figure let out an ear-piercing war cry as it brought out a great sword from under his cloak.

Dante's torso was covered with dark blue armour, similar to a kendo uniform. His armour and damaged hooded cape were accompanied with brown pants and boots with a dark shade of brown. The cloak's hood was down, showing that Dante's brown hair and face resembled that of an ordinary person, with some exceptions. First, there were two sturdy horns protruding from the being's hair, shaped in a similar coil to that of a ram. Secondly, his right eye looked to be missing. Instead, there was a deep blue orb in place of the eye socket with visible scarring on the surrounding skin.

The mecha picked itself off the ground and looked at Kota as Dante returned to the soul of its master.

"No… you can't be stronger than me! I will show you that I am the better man if it's the last thing I do!" The machine's thruster powered up once more and launched himself at Kota. This time Kota's mind was sharp, feeling stronger than ever before. He sidestepped the flaming ball as it was hurled at him before calling for Dante to strike.

" **Cleave!** "

Grasping the glowing coin before him, Dante appeared behind the mecha and swung his sword heavily at the thrusters. The mecha jittered in pain as the blade struck it.

"Dammit! I'm not playing games here!" Jaden yelled before the mecha raised its right arm, pointing the mounted gun at the chest of Kota. The teen raced behind a nearby waist-high wall as bullets whizzed pass, just barely missing their target. The mecha continued to fire several more rounds at Kota's immediate area, causing shards of glass and chipped metal to rain upon his arms which were protecting his face. Irritated that it couldn't get to its target, Jaden snarled as the machine stopped firing.

"You're going to run now? How pathetic!" Kota heard a large boom from the other side of the wall as an explosive rocket hit and destroyed his cover. Kota was sent flying into one of the wall-mounted monitors before gravity forced him onto the ground below. He felt the burns on the back of his neck and broken shards from the monitor sink into his back, but Kota was surprised to find that the explosion didn't cause any more damage to him. Getting to his feet with some difficulty, Kota saw another rocket fly his way.

" **Garu!** "

Dante materialised before Kota and threw his tattered cloak across his body, sending out a gust of wind into the projectile. The rocket changed course due to the sudden gust and sailed past the mecha, missing it by inches.

"Again!"

Dante sent his next blast at the mecha, but the machine held its ground when it got hit. Kota made a swift sigh in frustration, knowing that the attack had little effect on his enemy. Jaden watched on with a dark smirk on his face.

"My turn..." The rocket launcher arm modified itself before Kota's eyes and now had a powerful rifle fixed in the launcher's place. A laser beneath the barrel of the gun pointed directly at Dante before the rifle fired. The bullet pierced Dante's chest, causing the being to shatter like glass on impact without a leaving trace. Kota grunted and brought his hand to his head as he felt a sharp pain within his skull. Noticing the laser moving its way towards him, Kota ran to a thick sheet of metal which had broken off from the room during the battle and held it between him and the mech. Another bullet was fired and hit the sheet, causing a massive indent which stopped just short of Kota's heart.

As Kota heard the rifle load another bullet into its chamber, he used the opening to throw the sheet to the side and hold his hand out.

"Come on..." As the spinning coin appeared ahead of him, Kota realised that neither of his attacks proved to be effective. It just meant that he had to think outside of the box.

"Dante! Strike those electric cables."

The coin was brought down to the back of Kota's hand with a slap. Dante soared towards the over-hanging cords positioned above the mecha and sliced it like a hot knife through butter. The severed ends of the cord dropped, making contact with the enemy and shooting a massive amount of electricity through it.

The attack proved to be effective as the electrical shock threw off the mecha's aim. The rifle fired mid-shock, but the bullet flew well above Kota's head. The current continued to flow to the mecha, appearing to stun it indefinitely.

"Push the advantage. Get it while it's down!" Dante's charged at the downed machine with a readied sword, but before the hit could connect the mecha flashed, a force field emitted by the machine. It absorbed the electrical currents flowing from the cables while effectively deflecting Dante's attack. Kota looked on with apprehension as the murderous machine lifted itself off the floor.

"You really think you could defeat me? Boy, that's rich!" Jaden laughed manically as the back plate bearing the jets detached itself from its back and separated into halves before relocating on top of each of its shoulders.

"Let's end this!" With both arms outstretched towards Kota, dozens of small rockets fired from the mecha's jets and homed in towards its intended target.

Dante held its position in front of Kota in an attempt to protect him from the onslaught but shattered after taking twenty or so hits. Kota yelled in agonising pain as the flames discharged from the projectiles and engulfed him. The cyan-haired teen felt his energy leave him rapidly, replaced with a realisation that it didn't matter that he tried his hardest to keep himself and Jaden alive. In the end, he wasn't strong enough. Just as Kota shut his eyes and was about to pass out, a voice rung out from within his soul.

 _You're not about to give up, are you?_

Kota's eyes shot open as a great shockwave rang out from within the fiery surroundings where another being now stood in Dante's place. The Purple-robe figure held its arm in front of him where a large staff spun in place, only just out of reach. Its hood hung over its head, the shadows obscuring its face from view. The shockwaves created from this other being continued to repel the raining rockets from Kota, causing them to spin out in multiple directions and explode shortly thereafter. It was Jaden's turn to be fearful for what was to come.

"H-how?! Why won't you just die?!"

Wordlessly, Kota raised his head and looked up at the mecha through the robed, transparent figure. He raised his hand up to chest level as his ally brought its second arm out, ready to launch its attack.

" **Liberate…** " Kota no longer felt as though he was in control of himself as he spoke and clenched his hand in the air. The staff was simultaneously grabbed with both hands in a vertical position by the hooded figure and slammed onto the ground, forming a blinding white ball of energy above the enemy. The attack shook the room as the ball shot downwards and swallowed up the machine.

"Goddammit… This isn't fair!" Jaden wailed as Kota, through squinted eyes, saw black ooze retreat from its host and back through the monitors. When the light vanished, the toys detached from the walls and dropped one-by-one onto the floor. In the centre of the room was Jaden, on his knees and panting from exhaustion after the machine's defeat.

The mysterious mage shone briefly before changing back to Dante and disappearing, leaving Kota and Jaden on the ship's bridge. While Jaden looked to be too tired get off of the ground, Kota also felt as though his legs were about to buckle due to the amount of energy he spent summoning that powerful mage. For some reason, Kota didn't even have a name to call that being by like it did when Dante heeded his call.

"I..." Jaden's voice was shaky. However, it didn't seem to thinly veil a dark presence, like it did before the mecha appeared. "I don't understand...what the hell everyone expects from me." The blonde tried to get himself standing back on his feet only to fall backwards, landing his back against the large window separating him from the void.

"I'm a good-for-nothing blabbermouth who happens to have deep pockets... That's what I know from the people that had the nerve to say it to my face." Jaden's head rose slightly. His eyes had started to regain some life, but Kota could see that he was still in a bad state. "Is it even worth trying to connect with people if that's what they think of you?"

"Of course," Kota said. Jaden raised an eyebrow quizzically at Kota. "I may not have known you for long, but I'm certain that you have some good qualities that people can appreciate. There are plenty of other people that are yet to talk to you, so I'm sure that they'll be able to find it."

"Like you?!" When Kota maintained his serious though calming gaze, Jaden scoffed. "Why would you be willing to see me again after what I just put you through?" Kota made his way over his downed classmate and offered him a hand.

"Because I don't know a lot about myself either." Jaden looked up at Kota, taken aback by the response. "The best way to discover your own strengths is through the support of those closest to you." Kota let an understanding smile form across his face. "Why not give it a shot?"

Jaden looked dazed for a few moments before Kota's words had sunk in.

"Are you sure you're a high school student? If you go around saying stuff like that, I'll think that you're a 60-year-old or something." Jaden gave a bright smile before taking his classmate's hand.

Upon being pulled to his feet, a faint blue glow started to surround Jaden. A coin spun in place between the two boys, bearing images of a mask on one side, and a faced sun on the other. It shattered with a light ring, its remains drifting apart before combining to make another figure.

It was a seven-foot-tall man bearing thick sheets of gold metal strapped to his chest, arms and legs for armour over its red silk clothing. The being wore a smiling golden mask wielded a weapon in each hand resembling maces but with balls of fire attached to the ends of the rods.

With the chains of self-hatred shattered, you now possess the power to provide hope to those in dire need.

"Mercury…" the being faded to nothing as a faint glow shone briefly in Jaden's chest. Only when Kota felt that wave of relief did the sheer amount of stress and exhaustion caught up with him. Without uttering a sound Kota fell to the ground, out cold before he could hear Jaden call out to him.

* * *

The calming sound of multiple ticking clocks echoed off the walls around him as Kota woke up in a familiar place. It was just like his dream, the great pendulum swinging above him, the multiple clocks floating over the void outside the walls of the room, and the odd, long-nosed man with his beautiful assistant to greet him.

"Welcome back, my guest," Igor spoke in the same slow manner as Kota remembered. "Do not worry. You are no longer in danger now that you have overcome your first obstacle."

"You two…" More details of the dream returned to Kota as Igor grin stretched a little wider.

"I see that you recall our last meeting. Good."

"The power I welded back at that spaceship… Did you have something to do with it?"

"The potential to use such frightening power was always within you. It is not my job to help you realise that power. Rather, it is to ensure that you use it to the best of your abilities in order to follow the path that fate had set for you." Kota sat quietly and listened intently. If anyone was to help him process what was going on, he felt that Igor would be the one to turn to.

"The entity you summoned is a Persona. Personas are a manifestation of one's personality. Think of it as a mask for an individual to use in order to face many of life's hardships." Despite wanting to understand what Igor was saying, Kota couldn't help but find himself hopelessly lost.

"Last time, you told me that I had something called the wild card ability. What does that mean?"

"Ah yes, the wild card... The power that the wild card possesses is best described as the number zero. Empty, yet with infinite potential. Those with the wild card ability are able to summon multiple Personas in battle. That is where my assistant will come in handy." Igor turned to Elsa. Her eyes were darting uncomfortably between the cameras around the room, paying no heed to Igor's words. After noticing the room go quiet, Elsa looked back at Igor and jumped in fright when she saw his steady gaze on her.

"Oh… s-sorry!" Elsa placed the thick book she was holding on top of the lone table. The moment Elsa let go of the book, the cover of the book opened, allowing its pages to continuously turn by itself.

"T-This is the Persona Compendium. It stores all the Personas that you will come across in your journey as you build your bonds with others. Through improving your relationships with others and strengthening your bonds... um..." Elsa looked towards her master as if silently asking to bail her out.

"... Your power will grow, leading you closer towards your final goal." Igor finished Elsa's sentence for her.

"O-Of course... I'm sorry, sir." Elsa looked at her feet, unsuccessfully hiding her face growing red out of embarrassment.

"That is quite alright, my dear." Igor comforted her while not looking the slightest bit annoyed. He turned his attention back to his guest. "There is no need to fret if this is difficult for you to take in. You should find that in time you will understand what there is to know. Now before I let you go..." Igor waved his arm horizontally across the table, conjuring an elegant looking key exerting a blue glow. The face on the bow was the same as the ones on the coin.

"Use this to return if you are in need of our services," Igor said. Kota leaned forward and grabbed the key before looking at the glowing object more closely. "I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for you. I'm sure that it will be a joy to watch."

* * *

Kota twitched as he started to return to his senses. A quick glance of the room confirmed that he was still in the place where he passed out. Realising that Jaden was nowhere in sight, Kota got off the ground to look for him. Further up the aisle where Kota stood, thumping noises alongside frustrated, yet tired grunts could be heard. Jaden was throwing his entire body weight behind the thick metal door the two boys had previously entered through. His continued efforts to bust the door down proved to only tire him rather as the door hadn't budged an inch.

"Hey, Gatogi" Hearing Kota's call, Jaden turned to him with an urgent expression, which quickly became one of relief as he saw that Kota had woken up. Momentarily forgetting about the door, Jaden made his way to Kota.

"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Kota gave a small smile seeing Jaden's concern for him.

"I'm a little tired, but otherwise I feel fine." While saying he was a little tired was an understatement, Kota did his best to hide it from Jaden. "What about you? You're looked quite worn out yourself." Getting a good look at him since he returned to his senses, Kota noticed that Jaden was looking rather pale with the skin around his eyes looking to have darkened.

"I could be better, that's for sure." Jaden seemed glad, but Kota could tell that he wanted to ask him something as he looked down to his feet. "So… What was that thing you were fighting with and… when did you get that outfit?" Kota looked down at himself to see the dark clothing he had on. He was only a tie away from looking like a professional, like a businessman or a secret agent.

"I… can't say I know where the clothes came from, but the power I was using… It's called a Persona." While Kota was reluctant to say stuff like that out loud, he figured that Jaden should know having just seen it himself.

"Persona? How did you get it?" Kota took the time run that question by him a few more times. That blue butterfly seemed to turn itself into a coin before his eyes as if it was gifting him his Persona. Could the voice that spoke to him in the void belong to the butterfly? Either way, Kota didn't have a clear answer.

"I… I have no idea." Silence followed as the high school students both tried to hide their looks of confusion and worry from the pair.

"Hey, you don't think you could take out that door with your… Persona… could you?"

"Huh?" It then occurred to Kota that he couldn't exactly recall how he summoned his Persona. Everything he did during the fight was done in the heat of the moment. "Um… I'll try." Kota steadied his breathing as he held his hand out. Closing his eyes, he sub-consciously called for Dante. Opening his eyes later revealed that nothing happened. Now with a slight feeling of dread, Kota forced his eyes shut and called for his Persona again.

 _Dante. I need you now!_

A slight feeling of warmth arose in Kota's chest as he saw the light shine upon his eyelids. He opened his eyes to see that the coin was now hovering just above the palm of his hand, twirling in place.

"Whoa…" Jaden voiced his astonishment as he stared at the levitating coin.

Just as Kota was about to grasp the coin a harsh drilling noise filled the room from the other side of the door. The noise caused the boys to cover their ears as they saw the door become more deformed as the noise grew louder. When it looked as though the door was barely able to remain standing the drilling stopped. One swift kick from the other side of the door sent it flying before landing with a thud some distance away from where it once was.

The figure that stepped through the doorway wore a thick brown trench coat that covered it from its neck to its toes. A black, wide-brimmed hat sat on top of its head and was tilted in such a way that most of its face was covered by the shadow. The tall figure looked ominous as it gazed at the high school students before it.

"Who are you guys?" The dull, but noticeably feminine voice carried through the room without any sense of urgency or confusion, but alarm bells still rang in Kota's head.

A coin shot into the air in front of Kota, who instinctively snatched it as it was falling to summon Dante, taking his stance as if he was ready to lash out at the stranger.

"Don't move, or I'll have to take action!" Kota sounded as authoritative as he could as Dante tightened his grip on his sword. The effects from the last battle still weighed heavily on the pair. For a while the girl didn't react, just stood in place as if she was a statue.

Eventually, she raised her forearms up in the air as a sign of peace. The sleeves of the coat slid down her arm slightly, revealing that her wrists below her gloves were made entirely out of thin metal rods. Kota and Jaden were taken aback by the sight. This was no ordinary person.

"How did you two get here?" She asked. Kota and Jaden looked at one another, each trying to make out what the other was thinking before responding.

"What's it to you?" Jaden spoke up, staying half a step behind Kota.

"Don't be difficult with me. I'm not your enemy." The girl continued to talk in an almost monotone voice as if she lacked the energy to show any emotion. Kota kept his eyes on the woman for a few more moments, debating whether or not he could be trusted. Eventually, Kota rested his arm by his side, recalling Dante from his side. Initially, Jaden looked at his fellow classmate with uncertainty but decided to trust his judgement. The girl gave Kota a slight nod.

"Thank you. Allow me to return the favour." Slowly, she lifted his arms up and gently grabbed her hat. Lowering the hat and placing it under her thick coat, her face was on full display.

Lifeless blue eyes remained fixed on the boys as her dark wiry hair hung just above her shoulders. Her light skin only ran as far as halfway down her neck, revealing a small section of steel and wires peeking over the collar of her trench coat.

"Now, you both need to get out of here. It's not safe here." Still puzzled as to what stood in front of them, the teens stared at the oddly constructed face without making a sound. The girl didn't show any annoyance or discomfort from being stared at, probably not caring about it.

"How are we going to do that? Do you know the way out of here?" Kota fired questions at the woman hoping that she was their ticket off this ship.

"Wait, Isarota." Jaden, who was not quite as trusting as his cyan-haired counterpart, cut in before the girl could respond. "How do we know you're not out to kill us too?"

"Just know that if I were to try and kill you both, I wouldn't be engaging in conversation like this." She turned towards the doorway and looked at the two over her shoulder. "Shall we get moving?"

* * *

Are you sure this is the way out?" Kota asked as the group stood in front of a thin white arch holding together a black and white pattern, swirling around a fixed point in the centre as if it was a black hole. They were back to the place they originally woke up at, but that arch wasn't there before.

"Absolutely. Once a person has been granted their Persona, they are able to navigate through the Subex as well as fend off Shadows."

"Subex?" Kota asked.

"Shadows?" Jaden followed.

"Shadows are the repressed emotions from people on the surface. They're often hostile and will attack on-sight. The Subex is what this world is called. You'll understand more about what it is once we leave this place."

"So do you have a Persona too?" The girl shook her head in response to Jaden's question.

"It's different in my case. There isn't a thing that goes on here without my knowledge. My existence is tightly bound to this place as I do not have a body to return to on the other side. You both do, however, so we have to go back there as soon as we can." She walked up to the arch and gestured for the boys to go through.

The daunting appearance made the doorway look unwelcoming. Ignoring Jaden's hesitance, Kota stepped forward and into the surreal black-and-white void.

Before he knew it, Kota found himself on the other side of the door and into what looked like an alternate reality. He was standing in what similar to Jaden's room, but the wooden floor was bare without the mess and many of his possessions were gone. Furthermore, many of the surrounding walls looked to have collapsed, showing off an almost entirely vacant version of Jaden's apartment.

Walking cautiously in case the building was unstable, Kota moved as close to the edge of the building where an entire wall had disappeared and looked out across the island as far as he could. The island where the building stood upon had a striking resemblance to Tatsumi Port Island, but fountains were busted, roads had large cracks running in all directions, and the buildings had giant chunks removed from their original counterparts. In the place of those missing chunks, huge operating pistons, giant rotating gears, or strange looking wind turbines shot out from the buildings spanning across the horizon.

Kota continued to stare at his surroundings in awe as Jaden and the girl stepped through the arch after him. Jaden stood beside Kota and also look in the view with shock.

"So this place is what you call the Subex…" Jaden asked the girl, not able to bring himself to look away.

"That's right. It's the world that you know of at a subconscious level. Every person has their own subconscious thoughts, and this place is where those thoughts reside." Kota looked at the setting sun to his right, a much larger, dimmer version of the one he was used to. He then looked at the sky directly above him. Thin clouds slowly spun around a fixed point in the sky, looking like the pattern of the door that they went through not long ago. Kota never thought that such a place could possibly exist.

"Do you guys want to get out of here or not?" The girl's voice moved their focus to her, then to the two silhouettes beside her. They were both positioned behind a desk, one sitting in a chair and the other leaning over the first, both staring at something in the seated figure's hand.

"That's… us?" It was bizarre to think that he could observe himself from an outside perspective, but there was no other explanation as to what the silhouettes were.

"Hold on… This is too much to take in on such short notice… I'm getting dizzy." Jaden held his hands on his head and stared at the ground as if he was blocking out any more information from piling up in his head.

"Just take up the position of your bodies and you'll be able to return."

"Really? Thank you, miss…"

"Just call me Glitch, but hopefully we won't be seeing each other again."

Kota put a hand on Jaden's shoulder and smiled at him, signalling that things would be alright. Still with a dazed look on his face, Jaden moved towards the chair while making sure not to move it from beneath the silhouette. Kota looked at Glitch one last time before he left.

"Thanks for your help." Glitch just gave a slight nod in reply. Kota stood behind the seated Jaden and moved to try fit into the silhouette as best as he could. As both he and Jaden got in the right position, their surroundings changed in a blink of an eye.

* * *

They were back in Jaden's room, looking exactly as Kota first remembered it before he ended up in the metal hallways. Surprised by the sudden transition to reality, Jaden dropped the watch quickly and took a backward leap, knocking his chair over in his haste. Slowly, the Gekkoukan students had a collective feeling of relief wash over them. They turned to one another with Jaden speaking up first.

"That wasn't a dream I just had, was it?"

"No… I saw it too." Jaden looked over Kota's shoulder during the silence that followed.

"You look about ready to collapse. How about you crash here for the night?" As tired as Kota felt, he knew he needed to watch over the dorm seeing that he was the only one there.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll be alright. I should head back to the dorm." Kota grabbed the watch off the floor, taking care so he wouldn't activate it again.

"What do you plan on doing with that?" Jaden asked worriedly from outside the device's range. Kota remained observant as he looked into the dark face of the watch, though it remained inactive. The cyan-haired boy shoved it in his pocket.

"I don't know," Kota answered, honestly, "but I can't exactly leave it laying around for anyone else to stumble across."

"Fair enough… So, uh…" Jaden rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I want to thank you, Kota. You really saved my ass back there." Noticing Jaden calling him by his first name, Kota grinned.

"It's not a problem. What kind of friend would I be if I stood by and did nothing?"

"I guess you're right…" Jaden also looked rather happy with how things turned out. Seeing Jaden smile after what he just went through put Kota's worries at ease. As long as he was alright, there was nothing for Kota to be regretful of. "I'll see you around."

"Of course." Kota walked through the front door under the watchful eye of the setting sun.

When the door closed behind him, Kota placed his hand over the bump in his pant packet where the device quietly sat. Had he not been told that this was the beginning of a journey, he would have felt that that would be the last he would see of the Subex. The cyan-haired teen sighed. Studying and fitting in at school was hard enough without having to worry about a world hidden from everyone else's view. With heavy eyelids, he headed for the elevator, hoping that he would reach the station before it got dark.


	4. The Sun Rises for the First of Many

**Chapter 4: Sunday 14th April**

Jaden stirred in his bed as the sunlight crept through the gap between the curtains and rested on his eyelids. He opened his eyes to find that Sunday had arrived, but he was too tired to get out of bed. He rolled over to get the sun out of his eyes, only to catch sight of the corner of the room where that portal would be in that other world. Jaden shuddered. Suddenly he didn't feel like sleeping in. Jaden kicked off the covers and headed for the kitchen, taking care not to step on any of the manga spread across the bedroom floor.

As he expected, he was in the apartment alone. Both of his parents usually arrived home late from work and left early the following day, even on Sundays. Sometimes his parents would get home before dinner, but it was common for Jaden to not see them for days at a time. It was a lonely existence which he had gotten used to growing up.

The thought of his parents left Jaden when he felt his stomach grumble - maybe he should have had dinner before he went to bed. Gathering a bowl, spoon and milk, he prepared to make himself a bowl of cereal as it was quick and simple to make. After grabbing a box of Choc-la-Os, he noticed something unusual sitting on the breakfast counter in the corner of his eye. Stopping to look at it, he suddenly froze up, leading him to drop the cereal box and spilling the contents on the floor.

"What the…" An eerily familiar device laid face up on the white marble surface. The outer shell of the watch was innocent-looking, though only an inky darkness laid behind the glass. There was no mistaking this was just like the object Kota brought with him the other day, but he clearly remembered him taking back with him. Which means…

He raced back to his room and threw on whatever clothing was lying nearby. Leaving the messy kitchen as it was, Jaden quickly jammed the watch in his pocket and left the apartment on his way to see Kota.

* * *

Jaden stood at the steps of a dormitory building, his bag hanging from a strap over his left shoulder, as the sun peeked over the tops of the nearby structures. The boy stood there wearing a brown jacket on top of his yellow shirt with red text stating "Iwatodai Buccaneers!", the name of the local baseball team, bearing their logo of a fierce-looking pirate ship in the background. He also wore a faded brown pair of cargo pants with the latest white-and-red sneakers from one of the country's more desirable clothing brands.

Lucky for Jaden, Akina was awake when he asked for Kota's address via text. He didn't think that the school still housed students in older buildings such as this. Not only that, but it was so far from the campus that it was beyond unusual. Even with properties on Tatsumi Port Island costing an arm and a leg, Gekkoukan should have been able to arrange something for all their borders. Dropping that pointless subject, Jaden stepped up to the front door and rang the doorbell.

Jaden waited for a few minutes, and he pressed the buzzer a few more times. He started to think everyone was out, but then the door finally opened. On the other side of the doorway was a very tired looking Kota, still wearing his creased school uniform from the other day.

"Dude, you didn't sleep in that, did you?" Kota just rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"I didn't mean to. I ended up collapsing on the bed the moment I set foot in my room."

"Oh... sorry. The other day must have been rough for you huh?" Jaden looked over Kota's shoulder to see if anyone was around that could possibly be eavesdropping, only to find that no-one was around at all. "What happened to your roommates? Have they all gone out?"

"I don't have any roommates. I have this whole place to myself," Kota said. Jaden noticed that he didn't seem particularly happy when he said that.

"My bad... I wouldn't have come by so early if I knew you were here by yourself," Jaden said. Kota just smiled and shook his head slightly.

"It's probably good that you woke me, otherwise I would have slept through the entire day. What brings you here anyway?"

Without saying a word, Jaden pulled the watch from his pocket and showed Kota the device. For a moment, Kota didn't react, as if he didn't believe what it was he was seeing and was waiting for his eyes to stop playing tricks on him. He then looked up to meet Jaden's eyes, stunned.

"Is this..." Kota let the shocked silence convey his surprise as Jaden sternly nodded. "How did you get this?"

"I just found it in my apartment when I woke up this morning. You still have yours, right?" Kota pressed his hand over his pocket, confirming his suspicions with a touch.

"It's right here." A thoughtful silence filled the air but was then broken by the rumble of Jaden's stomach.

"... Damn, I forgot about my breakfast." Kota chuckled out of amusement. The air was just starting to feel uneasy.

"I could do with something to eat too."

"We can head to the island to have an early lunch if that's okay with you. I wanted to show you to one of Port Island's more infamous cafés anyway."

* * *

"Honestly, Jaden, you don't have to treat me. I can pay for my own food without any problems." Kota, now wearing black long-sleeved top and light tan-coloured pants with black shoes, was looking over the prices listed on the menu of Chagall Cafe.

Jaden explained that Chagall was one of Port Island's most well-known establishments in dining, and was one of the few businesses to have not changed along with the rest of the island, keeping its traditional appearance compared to the more modern feel that most places were starting to adopt. Because of its good reputation, Kota was surprised to find that most of the food was reasonably priced.

"Look, I'm not going to take no for an answer." Jaden nonchalantly waved his hand from his seat across from Kota. "This is the least I could do after what you did for me yesterday, so don't sweat it." Kota felt a little embarrassed from hearing Jaden talk as if he was the only reason why the two of them were still alive. Had Glitch not found them and led them back to the real world, Kota and Jaden would still be trapped there. Still, Kota smiled and didn't argue any further. He was just happy that the two of them were alive.

"Ah, Jaden, fancy seeing you here."

Kota turned to the cafe employee with violet eyes and light brown hair tied in a bun, wearing a waitress outfit and a bright smile.

"Kamaya? I didn't know you worked on Sundays."

"Of course you wouldn't, you never visit outside of school days." The girl continued to smile as she looked at the unfamiliar face. "I've never seen you before. You must be new here, am I right?"

"That's right. I'm Kota Isarota, just moved here a week ago."

"Minori Kamaya. It's a pleasure to meet you." Minori bowed politely but suddenly looked worried as she stood back upright. She looked towards the counter and saw the manager busy helping another employee work the cashier. She nervously turned back to the table and smiled sheepishly at the two underclassmen, likely worried that she would get in trouble for chatting with the customers about a subject aside from the menu.

"So have you decided on what you'll be having?"

After hearing from the two boys, Minori left to pass on the orders to the chefs. Jaden watched her leave and kept a small smile on his face, probably while lost in thought.

"She seems like a nice girl," Kota spoke for the sake of saying something and brought Jaden back from his daze. Having realised that he was caught staring, Jaden sheepishly scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously before talking.

"Yeah... She's someone I knew back when we were living in Tokyo. She works here casually quite a bit and she goes to Gekkoukan, so I see her from time to time."

"So you're just friends?" Jaden's face looked a little bitter.

"Yeah, but mind you, I gave up on her months ago. She's way out of my league." The table went quiet again as the buzz around the cafe continued to sound. There was something that Kota wanted to ask, but he was sure if Jaden would be willing to talk about it.

"If this is a sore subject, you can choose not to talk about it." Kota stopped for a moment, concerned about the bad memories Jaden implied on when he was in his state of despair. "What was it like moving here from Tokyo?" Ultimately, he curious about how Jaden handled the new surroundings since the situation was much like what Kota was going through - save for the memory loss that Kota also had to worry about.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't do so well. You wouldn't know it, but I was a real hit with the guys back in Tokyo." A smile invoked from recalling a happier time spread across Jaden's face. "The guys that I grew up with were obsessed with keeping up with the trends. We would talk about the latest bikes, gaming consoles, just about anything that happened to be cool at the time. With the money I got from my parents, I was able to buy anything I wanted and show it off to those guys, and they thought that I was awesome for that." The blonde took a moment to drum his fingers on the table, mauling over the words in his head while keeping his eyes firmly on the table.

"After I moved here last year, no one at school seemed to take the same amount of interest in me. Talking about trends and showing them off was the only thing I ever really did with my old friends, but nobody was willing to listen. I felt as though everyone but me had matured, and that everyone was labelling me as a snob and a spoilt brat."

Kota felt a sting of guilt from Jaden's words. Had he have known, he would have been more inclined to listen to Jaden's chatter on Saturday and the two of them may not have had to witness what had happened in the Subex.

"Jaden… I'm sorry, I didn't realise that were given such a tough time." But Jaden just looked at him and gave a sheepish smile.

"You have nothing to apologise for. Heck, if you haven't shown up, I probably would never have gotten over it. Both you and Akina have helped me out a lot by just being there. I know I said this the other day, but thanks for getting me out of that place. There was no way I was going to last by myself." Jaden looked at Kota with his eyes filled with appreciation as Kota felt a small bond of friendship begin to form between him and Jaden.

As the silence between the two arose once again, Kota's sense of time slowed almost to a stop as the sound of the flip of a coin echo through his mind.

 _Thou art I… And I am thou…_

 _Thou hast established a new bond…_

 _It helps bridges the gap towards humanity's true fate…_

 _Thou shalt be blessed with a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

With a calming, but authoritative voice, the words sounded like they came from the blue butterfly which awakened Kota's abilities. After hearing those words, Kota thought back to what Igor and Elsa said in the Velvet Room.

 _Through improving your relationships with others and strengthening your bonds, your power will grow, leading you closer towards your final goal._

While Kota still wasn't all that sure about how he would go about reaching 'humanity's true fate', he trusted that establishing bonds would help him in that cause.

In a blink of an eye, the café became its busy, noisy self again. Jaden, unaware of the pause in time, glanced over to another of the young waitresses who was tending to another table.

"So what do you think of the girls here?"

"Huh?" Kota gave a startled response as a playful smirk formed on Jaden's face.

"Are any of them your type? It's about time that I pry some information out of you for once."

While Kota would admit that some of the girls caught his eye, he didn't have any real opinion on what his 'type' actually was. He wasn't comfortable talking about stuff like that anyway.

"W-well... I'd rather not say! Besides, why would you want to know that about me, of all things?" Kota blurted his response loud enough for him to feel the gazes of people at nearby tables, adding further embarrassment to the situation. An expression of mock disappointment was then shot across the table from the fellow classmate.

"Aww... That's no fun. You're going to have to let me in on your philosophy sooner or later." Ignoring Kota's question, Jaden noticed Minori walk towards them while balancing the two ordered dishes on either one of her arms. "Although... I think I may know just how to find out for myself."

"What's up, Jaden?"

"Could I order two Pheromone Coffees, please?"

"Ah, treating the new guy to our speciality I see... two Pheromone Coffees coming right up." Looking rather pleased with himself, Jaden turned back to face Kota as Minori left once more. Kota eyed his classmate suspiciously.

"What are you up to?"

"Oh yeah, you wouldn't know. Apparently, there is something special about Pheromone Coffee which only Chagall serves. They say that drinking it makes you more attractive towards the opposite sex." Kota waited for an explanation as to how it was meant to work, but Jaden just looked to be daydreaming again, likely to be the thought of several girls clenching his arms and shirt while pleading their love for him.

"Are you sure about that? It sounds like a scam to me." Kota said. Brought back suddenly from his dream with the unwanted response, Jaden seemed desperate to convince his friend that the coffee did work.

"It's true though! It has actually been proven! I-I mean I don't know anyone personally who had gone through with it… but it's just widely accepted that it works." Sceptical of the drink's so-called powers, Kota raised an eyebrow at Jaden who sighed in turn. "Well, that's more reason for us to test it for ourselves. Every Sunday, we'll meet up here and have a Pheromone Coffee."

"That seems like quite a hassle…"

"C'mon Kota, I've been itching to try this out for ages. I'll pay for your drinks if that's what you want."

"That's not the issue here…" Kota sighed. He wasn't in the mood to argue with Jaden. What's more, as he thought back to the empty dormitory waiting for him in Iwatodai, Jaden's offer to meet up every Sunday didn't seem all that bad. "Ok fine. We'll meet here next week."

"You won't regret this, Kota!" Jaden leaned forward towards his friend and tried to keep his voice down despite him almost trembling with excitement. "Trust me when I say that we will be a bunch of chick-magnets in no time!" Kota couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes but also started laughing along with Jaden as the two coffees made their way to their table.

* * *

 **Monday 15th April**

"So how did it go?" Akina spoke to Kota as they walked towards the train station at a leisurely pace. Thanks to Kota waking up from the best sleep that he could ever recall having, the two students were on their way to school with plenty of time to spare.

"You mean the thing with Jaden? It was alright, I guess."

"Just alright? Jaden messaged me the day after to ask for your address, so it must have been more than alright. He usually never goes out of his way to meet up with people." Kota quietly thought about how to explain that. He felt that he couldn't tell her about the Subex or Personas, seeing that she wouldn't believe him and only complicate things.

"He wanted to show me a café in Paulownia. Chagall, I think it was. He just wanted to talk about… stuff."

"Stuff, huh?" It was painstakingly obvious from Akina's tone that she wasn't particularly pleased with Kota's vague statement. "Well, it sounds like you two are hitting it off, which is great. It's nice to see that he has made a good friend…" Akina slowly moved her gaze down to her feet. Kota thought he sensed a bit of sadness in her voice.

"Are you feeling alright?" Akina shook her head.

"I'm just a little tired. My parents have been busy lately and I've been helping them out, but I feel fine." Akina gave Kota a smile to try and reassure him, but he didn't buy it. He knew there was something else, but he felt that he didn't know her well enough to ask about it.

* * *

The lunch bell could not have come soon enough as the mathematics teacher, Ms Miyahara, was just starting to talk about her fascination with equations which involves dividing by zero. Jaden got out of his seat and walked over to Kota's desk.

"Yo. Could we talk about...Saturday?" Jaden lowered his voice when he brought up the day. "I sorta forgot to bring that up yesterday."

"Oh... What happened on Saturday?"

Jaden seemed to stiffen at the sound of Akina's voice as Kota turned to see her still seated beside him, gazing at the boys with a curious look.

"Yonashi…" Kota unconsciously drummed his fingers on the desk a few times, trying to figure out what to say next. "Do you think that you could let Gatogi and I talk between ourselves during lunch?"

"Yeah! It's ... well, you know... guy stuff!" Jaden let out a nervous laugh as he scratched the back of his head. The lie was so blatantly obvious that Akina saw right through it.

"I see…" Akina turned away from Kota and Jaden, instead of looking into the corner of the room behind them. "Don't let me bother you then. I'll see you guys later." Pulling her beanie slightly further down her face, Akina lowered her head and left the room with haste.

* * *

"What do you think that was about?" Kota sat in the cafeteria across from Jaden as the blonde was in the middle of enjoying his instant ramen. Jaden slurped up the remaining strands dangling from his mouth and swallowed before replying.

"You know what she's like. The girl overreacts about every little thing but is perfectly fine the moment you blink."

"I use to think so, but she seemed down this morning and hasn't cheered up since."

"Really?" Jaden put his chopsticks down and wore a thoughtful expression. "She usually acts like that if her parents' organisation is up to their necks in work, like with protests and fundraising and such."

"So it's nothing that we should be worried about?" Jaden gave off a winning smile.

"Nah, she'll be fine. She's just so passionate about that environmental stuff that she lets it get to her." The blonde nodded at the steaming instant noodle dish in front of Kota. "It's going to get cold if you don't get started on that."

"Oh...right" Kota poked his chopsticks into the soup and moved it in a circular motion before nibbling at one of the noodles. Despite Jaden's assurances, he felt bad for Akina.

The buzz of the newly-built cafeteria, fuelled by the conversing between the hungry students, filled the silence between the two second-years. While the room was packed, Kota and Jaden were able to claim a table by windows overlooking the baseball field behind the school. Not only was the table less susceptive to the noisy locality and safer from prying ears, but the ocean view beyond the pitch was something to be admired. Remembering why he asked to eat with Kota alone, Jaden's expression quickly became more serious.

"Dammit Kota, you took us off topic again."

"What do you mean 'again'? You were the one begging me to give up my weekends to have coffee with you and going on to talk about what you like in a girl."

"You make it sound like I'm punishing you when you put it that way," Jaden whined. Kota had to admit that he found some enjoyment out of pushing Jaden's buttons. "Anyway, shouldn't we get to the point?"

"Right," Kota agreed. "So much happened that day, I don't really know where to start."

"Let's start with what the hell that place was. Do you think it was really what 'Trenchy' said it was?"

"A world where our subconscious thoughts reside…" The existence of such a place never crossed Kota's mind before. Had he not been there himself, it would have quickly been written off as nonsense. "I think so. She didn't have any reason to lie to us. If it wasn't for her, we may have never been able to make it back."

"Yeah, I guess… I keep thinking back to that spaceship we first woke up in. Just being in that place made me feel… negative… like everything I had and want wasn't worth a damn."

"You don't remember what happened when you first got there?" Kota asked Jaden just shook his head in response. "You certainly weren't yourself. The moment that you got there, you wandered into that large computer room before you started ranting."

"I do recall some of what I said... though I can't say that it wasn't entirely true." Jaden bowed his head slightly. "I'm sorry… I said some malicious things to you while we were there."

"It couldn't be helped. You had no control over any of that, and It's not like it's uncommon to have negative feelings towards other people."

"It isn't something you should just brush off." Kota just shrugged, causing Jaden to breathe out a defeated sigh. "Anyway, on to the next order of business. How did you come across your watch or, whatever? I asked my parents about the one in my house, they figured I had just left it out after you were over and didn't think much of it."

"It was just with the rest of my luggage shortly after I arrived in Iwatodai."

"So it just appeared in thin air for you too, huh? You didn't see anyone go through your stuff before you found it, did you?"

"That's the thing. I had unpacked my bag a day earlier and I didn't see it then." Kota reflected for a moment to confirm this, then shook his head. "Someone must have broken into the dormitory then…"

"Don't sweat over it too much. Whoever gave it to you must have been careful not to stick out. Hell, they managed to get into my apartment without raising any red flags." The staff at the apartment complex seemed vigilant of anyone strolling in without proper reason, so they must have been good at keeping a low profile. Jaden paused for a moment to take in another mouthful of noodles. "What do they expect us to do with them, I wonder. Do you think whoever planted them intend to trick other people into using the watches?"

"I don't think so. We already know what they do, so it's not like they would expect us to make the same mistake twice." Jaden nodded in agreement. "Regardless, we need to keep them away from everyone and make sure they don't have to go through what we just did."

"Right, I don't think people are even meant to go to a place as dangerous as that."

"And another thing…"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should tell Yonashi about what happened."

"What!?" Jaden leaned over the table and lowered his voice. "Do you realise that she won't believe a word that we say? Why would we do that?" Kota lowered his head, but his eyes remained firmly on Jaden's.

"She knows we're hiding something and she deserves to hear the truth from us, no matter how outlandish it may seem to her." Jaden sat upright again and stared blankly at the table in front of him.

"I don't think that she'll take that very well. But you're right, we shouldn't keep it from her." Lazily prodding what little was remaining in his bowl, he let out a sigh. Thinking about his unknown move to Iwatodai, Kota looked sadly at his rapidly-cooling lunch and forced himself to take another bite.

Despite Jaden later trying to liven up the discussion by poking fun at a number of school's staff, he knew that Jaden was also bothered by the Subex and Akina. The welcoming sound of the bell signalling the resumption of classes couldn't come sooner, as both students were able to switch their focus to the upcoming lessons.

* * *

 **Tuesday 16th April**

Kota checked his phone for the third time as he stood at the front of his dormitory. There were only a few minutes left until the train left the Iwatodai Station, so he would have to run there again if he was going to make it in time. The real problem was that Akina was yet to arrive, strange considering that Akina had always arrived before Kota was ready for school previously.

When Kota and Jaden attended their afternoon classes, Akina never re-joined them. After some asking around, they discovered from one of the members of the environmental club that she asked the principal to be excused for the day and was allowed to leave. The member said that she wasn't certain why she left, but it likely had something to do with Iwatodai Future Preservation Group's involvement in an environmental dispute.

Concerned that Akina may be getting stressed from carrying out her duties, Kota was hoping to walk to school with her again to see how she was feeling. He also wanted to explain what happened in the Subex. Something was eating away at her and the last thing he wanted to do was keep her in the dark.

Just as Kota was considering running to the station and meeting her there, he noticed the iconic dark beanie further down the pavement. Akina was moving at a slow walking pace with a slouching posture, her gaze not looking out much further than her feet. She was taking so long to reach Kota that he decided to run to her.

"What are you doing? You realise that the train is going to arrive at any moment right?"

"Sorry…" Akina mumbled, but she didn't move any quicker and kept her head hung.

"What happened?" She stopped and continued to avert her eyes from Kota as she clutched her fist, likely contemplating whether or not to say anything.

"I hate Gatogi." Akina spoke, just loudly enough for Kota to hear.

"What?" The strong statement was far from what Kota was expecting.

"He's such a jerk, he talks about how useless the forests are and how everyone is just wasting my time with trying to protect them. Then, he shuts himself in his room and only hangs out with me if he has nothing better to do. I guess he hasn't got any more use for me." Kota was stunned by the sudden outburst, unsure of how to calm down a very tense Akina.

"He's not like that…"

"How would you know? You'd just met the guy!" Akina looked up at Kota with her red eyes, having looked like she had recently been crying. What on Earth happened that got her so distraught? "What happened to make you and him become the best of buds all of a sudden? Huh!?" The earlier motivation to set things straight with her had completely disappeared. Kota knew that if he wasn't careful, Akina would start gunning for him.

"I can't tell you…"

For several tense moments, Akina's threatening eyes softened, transitioning into a sadder-looking pair.

"You two bonded over gossip about me. Is that what it was?"

"What? No! Of course not."

"Then what happened!?" All the yelling that went on in the residential district was sure to attract plenty of attention from anyone who was passing by, but Kota never bothered to check for any onlookers.

"Look…" Kota lowered his voice to try and keep himself from being overheard. "This might be hard to believe, but I want you to know what happened that day…"

Kota reluctantly started to recap what happened when Jaden pressed the crown of the watch and transported them to the Subex. He briefly went on about waking up inside the dark halls of the spaceship, but Akina interrupted him.

"Isarota, stop." Akina took a step back, hiding her eyes by keeping her head low. "I'd maybe expect Jaden to make up stories like that, but for you to be mocking me like this…"

"Akina…"

"Don't you dare start!" The short girl pointed a stiff finger at Kota, glaring at him through watery eyes. "Why don't you just… just go to hell!"

Upset and in tears, she pivoted on the spot and ran back to where she appeared from. Kota watched after her until she was out of sight. Feeling hurt and confused, the cyan-haired boy looked at his watch once again to find that his train had well and truly left the station. Wondering how he would explain things to Jaden, Kota slowly made his way to school.


	5. A Stuffed Rabbit's Tale

**Chapter 5: Tuesday 16th April**

Class 2-C had almost finished its second lesson by the time Kota entered the classroom. Not only did Kota have to catch the later train that arrived ten minutes after the intended train had left, but he also got lost while he was making his way through the crowded streets of Tatsumi Port Island. Kota had never noticed how much he relied on Akina to lead the way to school before he stepped out of the station.

The room went quiet as Kota made his appearance. Unluckily for him, Composition was being taught, meaning that Ms Toriumi was the teacher he had to answer to. Kota had always had a feeling that he wasn't welcomed in her class for whatever reason, and now he could feel the cold glare from his homeroom teacher.

"Isarota, classes started more than two hours ago. What took you so long?" She said. Kota rubbed the back of his neck as he felt his nerves start to become unsettled from being put on the spot.

"I'm sorry. I got lost on the way here. I'm still a little unfamiliar with the island."

"Even after a week? Then again, Yonashi doesn't seem to be with you..." Ms Toriumi organised the papers in front of her as she thought about what punishment she would impose on the latecomer. "Fine. I'll let you go just this once, but only if you bring me a cake before the end of the week.

"A cake, Ms?"

"I'm not joking." Ms Toriumi's glare reinforced her words before she signalled for Kota to take his seat. Mentally blocking out the chatter between his classmates on the way to his seat, he caught Jaden's concerned gaze as he moved towards the back of the room. There was a lot of explaining that had to be done.

* * *

"I'm really sorry that it came to that." Kota apologised after he explained why Akina didn't turn up for school. "Maybe if I had held off on telling her about the Subex, I wouldn't have made her so angry at us." The classroom was filled with loud discussions as the students awaited the next teacher to arrive, so Kota took the time to inform his friend on the fight he had with Akina.

"Don't beat yourself up. It sounded like you were going to set her off either way." Jaden comforting smile faded, appearing to be almost as upset as the transfer student.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well..." Jaden drummed his fingers on his desk. "I think I know why she is in such a bad mood." Kota looked confused as the blonde tried to explain. "You know how she first mentioned that my parents' work had been investing in several community developmental programs? It turns out that there was a dispute over some land ended yesterday, with the Iwatodai Future Preservation Group looking to save the woodlands in that area."

"And the IFPG lost?"

"It wasn't protected by the government, so the courts couldn't place an injunction on the clearing of the land."

"And she blames you for that?"

"I don't think so. I think that she just feels like she has to unload her anger onto someone. I don't mind though. It's not I like I'm a perfect friend either." Jaden gave a self-mocking smile, but Kota could see through it. He was hurt by Akina's comments, saying how she hated him.

Just as Kota was silently cursing himself for giving him so much detail on the unpleasant exchange of words, he noticed a female student with short pink hair, nervously talking to one of his classmates from the doorway.

"Hey, Gatogi and new guy," The boy was the only person in the class who never seemed to wear the school blazer when he attended class, replacing it with a deep blue vest. He was easily distinguishable from his fellow peers due to his rolled-up shirt sleeves and blue bandanna he had tied around his left bicep. His sandy brown hair and matching eye colour seemed to complement his cool demeanour as he held his arms folded while leaning by the doorway. "The freshman over here wants the two of you to fight in the hallway for her affection."

Several of the guys who had overheard him chuckled as the girl physically recoiled from shock, her large blue eyes adequately reflecting the panic that gripped her.

"Whatever, Kushiro. I'll see what she wants." The boy chuckled as he rejoined his friends. Kota followed Jaden to where the girl was waiting and closed the door behind him. Jaden gave a kind smile to the first-year to reassure her as she still looked flustered from before. "Don't mind Kushiro. He jokes around a lot, but he's a nice guy. Don't take what he says too seriously."

"That's good... For a moment I thought that he just misunderstood." The girl, petite in size even by first-year standards, seemed relieved. "But if what your classmate saying was true, would you do it?" She looked at her upperclassmen with innocent curiosity.

"You mean fight for you?" Jaden rubbed the back of his neck with a sense of unease. "You're… undeniably cute but, that said… there will definitely be someone out there that would do that."

"He means to say no," Kota spoke bluntly, leading Jaden to turn to his friend in alarm.

"Don't go speaking on my behalf! Especially if you're going to say something so brutally candid!" The girl looked discouraged at first but sighed in acknowledgement.

"Boo! I guess that's to be expected..."

"Anyway, what can we do for you?" Jaden asked, seeking to resolve the awkward turn to the conversation.

"Right…" The girl seemed to become serious all of a sudden. "You two are friends with Yonashi-senpai, right?" Jaden and Kota looked at each other, both not sure how to answer.

"I think so," Kota spoke in a somewhat uneasy manner. "We had a fight this morning, so I can't be sure."

"Wait! You saw her this morning!?"

"Huh? Yeah…" A sickening feeling started to fill Kota's stomach. "Why? Did something happen?" The young girl looked down at her feet, wearing a sad look on her face.

"She's in hospital. She passed out on her way to school and isn't waking up." A shocked silence loomed over the hallway as Jaden's mouth twitched as if he had just heard a cringe-worthy joke.

"What?" Jaden's voice was suddenly weak, barely carrying to the girl. "So she just collapsed for no reason? Does anyone know what happened to her!?"

"I don't know what happened. Her mother told me everything she knew over the phone, but I'm sure that the doctors are figuring that out now." Disturbed by the lack of information on Akina's wellbeing, Jaden looked to Kota as he was being disturbingly quiet.

The boy remained where he stood, though shaking slightly at the hands. His face showed little expression aside from the dull-blue eyes which were unblinking, frozen. For whatever reason, Kota couldn't help but feel that he could have done something. Right when he let Akina run from him, she passed out with an illness and he wasn't able to do anything about it.

It was all his fault.

* * *

The next class was in session and Kota couldn't shake the terrible feeling that he had since he heard the news about Akina. He regretted letting her run from him and not looking to find out why she was so bothered during those last few days. Despite not knowing for sure why she fell into a coma, Kota's intuition led him to believe that it was linked to how odd she was acting earlier. If only he wasn't so absorbed with his own problems...

Damn it! Why didn't I follow her when she ran off?

"Is there a problem, Isarota?" Mr Takenozuka, the school's physics teacher, gave Kota an impatient look. Kota had been spaced out since returning from the hallway, staring down at the closed workbook untouched on his desk. "If you're having difficulty writing the words on the board before I erase them, you could just borrow one of your friends' notes. Gatogi, could you write another set of notes for Isarota?"

"But sir, I'm struggling to write just for myself. You're going through everything so quickly." It was apparent this was a problem the entire class had with their physics teacher. A couple of the students even took the break to stretch out their tired hands.

"Nonsense! You kids are just not used to writing with all the time you spend on 'Myface', or whatever it's called." Mr Takenozuka looked to Kota again as the boy hurriedly wiped the tears welling up in his eyes. "Step out of the room for a bit if you need to. Now, if everyone remembers the equation given in Newton's second law and apply it here..." Glancing at the empty seat beside him, Kota grabbed his bag before leaving the room without looking back.

Feeling light-headed and unable to concentrate, Kota decided to skip the rest of the school day despite not even getting through one whole lesson. Taking off for the front exit, Kota realised that he probably couldn't visit Akina without running into an awkward situation with the parents or the hospital staff. With nothing better to do, the Wild Card user headed for the dormitory.

Kota looked around the dormitory foyer as soon as he returned. The first thing he wanted to do was to find something that made enough noise to drown out his thoughts. Barely a minute passed and Kota found a traditional radio behind the front counter. It looked to be a model that would have been popular short of a decade ago, but it seemed to be in good condition considering that fact. He switched the device on, thankful that he didn't have to search for batteries as well, and fiddled with the dial until catchy rock music started blaring through the speakers. While he lay on the nearby couch, staring at the ceiling with glassy eyes, Kota continued to listen to the radio as the station's news update sounded out.

 _And in World News, the Californian government has been counting up the costs brought on by a monster hurricane that struck the west coast of the US. The disaster hit at 4 am local time, with its presence felt 90km across the state of California. An estimated 7,000 homes have been left uninhabitable and 34 people are currently missing._

 _It is the second natural disaster in as many months after a cyclone tore through Argentina, affecting 32 towns and villages where 23 people lost their lives. Exper-_

Kota gave a frustrated groan as the news caster's voice faded, only to be consumed by loud static. As Kota lazily rolled off the couch, more noises were being projected from the radio. A sound not unlike one that is heard when changing channels was vibrating in Kota's ears, becoming more and more frequent over the static as the radio was being approached. With a sense of worry, Kota tweaked the dials to find that the device wasn't responding.

 _Hello... Persona-user, do you read me?_

Kota recoiled from the speakers as a familiar voice suddenly sounded out above the static

"Glitch?"

 _I won't be able to hear you so listen closely. Somehow, another person got over here. Unlike when you and your friend were over here, I don't think that they will be able to fend for themselves. I need you to get over here as soon as you can, I'll try and fill you in on what I know when you get here._

The background noise dimmed as the transmission ended, eventually replaced with the catchy tune from the radio station.

For the longest time, Kota just stood where he was, looking dumbfounded at the radio. Then another thought crossed his mind. A person ended up in the Subex shortly after Akina mysteriously collapsed...

Surely Akina couldn't be the one wandering around that awful place. Surely not.

* * *

When Glitch guided Kota to an archway similar to the one that led to the spaceship, the teen could feel his heart jumping into his throat. It was only a few blocks from the dormitory where he last saw her, possibly the place where she fell into her coma.

"How do you think this happened?" The question was posed to himself more so than to Glitch, but she answered anyway.

"I can't say I know. It's unlikely they had a Transferral on them, and I believed it was the only way for people's consciousness to venture here." The trench coat-clad girl gave him a look from beneath the brim of her hat. "Is it someone you know?"

"It... it could be." To hide the hurt on his face, Kota stepped towards the arch and placed his hand in its centre. Unlike the one that led to the busted spaceship, the arch was sealed shut with a solid crimson-red wall appearing where the portal should be. "Why can't we go in?"

"When gateways between layers of consciousness open up, it is almost immediately shut again to prevent the Subex's collapse. The gateway that leads to your friend's inner thoughts is too unstable to be left open right now." Kota dug his nails into the red matter as if he was hoping that it was a curtain that he can pull away.

"So there's nothing we can do?" Kota's voice was shaky, despair arising from within his mind.

"There could be a way-"

"Yes?" Kota cut her off. " I'm willing to try it, whatever it is." While keeping her passive facial expression, Glitch rubbed her chin with her gloved hand.

"Well I can't be sure that it will work, but if you know who's in there, you could find a tangible object that this person has a strong emotional attachment to. If the gateway senses the affection from the object, it may act as a key and open the door for others to enter." While she certainly didn't make it sound simple, Kota nodded.

"I'll see what I can find." Kota went to return to his silhouette.

"Be sure to come here from inside your dormitory. I'll be waiting for you there."

* * *

The final bell of the day sounded as Kota leaned against the school gate. As the Gekkoukan students streamed out the doors, the cyan-haired boy scanned his eyes over each of the student's faces. He felt his chest start to tighten, a clear sign of his growing restlessness as it escalated with every passing second. Knowing that a person' s life depended on his actions, he had to be sure he wasn't going to waste any time finding something like what Glitch had described. He couldn't think of anything himself, but he knew there was someone he could ask.

Catching sight of Jaden mindlessly walking with music blasting through his earphones, Kota quickly got in his path. Engrossed in his music as he was known to do, the blonde didn't recognise Kota's presence until he almost bumped into him.

"Ah!" As if Kota had just appeared before his eyes, Jaden jumped back with a startled look on his face, accidentally hitting another male student as he suddenly backed up. He nervously chuckled and apologised in response to the annoyed glare and took off his earphones.

"You really have some nerve scaring me like that after you ditched school without me. You could have invited me along." Jaden spoke in a half-joking manner. Kota glumly looked away from Jaden as his way of showing that he wasn't in the mood. Either he didn't realise how serious Akina's situation had become, or he was trying to cover up how worried he was.

English rock lyrics could be heard playing from Jaden's earphones as they were slipped into his pocket. "You're still feeling down about it, huh?" Jaden said in a concerned tone.

"I need something of Akina's that will help me save her." Kota firmly returned Jaden's gaze.

"Save?" Jaden quickly dropped his carefree front as he started to realise.

"It's really important that you help me find it."

* * *

"This is the place," Jaden muttered as he and Kota stood in front of a small house. It looked to have been constructed decades ago, something which was really rare among the other homes in Iwatodai.

Kota had already explained the situation to Jaden as they left the school, and when Kota said that he suspected that Akina was the one trapped in the other world, Jaden lead him straight to the girl's house.

"How do you think we'll get inside?" Kota spoke quietly, not wanting to be heard by anyone that may be inside. Jaden pondered over how he could get into the house. If her parents were home, then getting into her room would be impossible without a good excuse.

"I think I have something. Wait here." Jaden stepped up to the front door and pressed the doorbell. There was a long pause after the soft tune could be heard bouncing off the walls behind the door. Jaden was about to reach for the button again when he heard footsteps. Without a rush, the door was opened by a rather tall man. His posture was as rigid as Jaden had ever seen, which was worth something considering the people he had seen his parents with. The man peered down at Jaden through his glasses with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"Gatogi's boy... What's the meaning of this visit?"

Jaden felt intimidated as the man's gaze remained on him, unmoving and growing with malice. It had only just occurred to Jaden that he was the worst person to ask for a favour from the Yonashi's. Not only was Jaden's dad assisting in running the company that had been scheming to expand the city at the expense of the surrounding woodlands, but the Iwatodai Future Preservation Group had recently failed in preventing more deforestation by the bank, likely indirectly leading to Akina's collapse. As fearful as he was standing before the man, he held his ground knowing that he didn't have any other choice. Kota and Akina were depending on him.

"I'm sorry to bother you Mr Yonashi, but our physics teacher wanted the class to turn in some work today. He was hoping that someone could collect Akina's assignment for him." It was the best lie that Jaden could come up with. He purposely chose the work to be a physics assignment because if there was a teacher he could throw under the bus, it would be Mr Takenozuka. It was because of the excessive note taking that he made the class do that made Jaden feel like he was coming down with arthritis in his left wrist.

"So that's what you want?" Mr Yonashi looked to be in thought as to whether the matter was important enough to let his most disliked adolescent into his own home. "I'll show you to her room then." Jaden bowed as a sign of gratitude and followed the man inside.

Being led through the dimly-lit house to a door at the far end of the house, Mr Yonashi held the door open for Jaden to enter. "I'm in the middle of tutoring, so I will be leaving you here. If I find that anything valuable is missing, I won't hesitate to contact the school."

Once in the room, Jaden noticed how the air had drastically lost its density as Mr Yonashi's footsteps became more distant. Something about the way that man acted rubbed him the wrong way. Shouldn't he be a little more... well... upset from Akina being in a coma?

Focusing on the task at hand, Jaden looked around the tidy room with the soft carpet beneath his feet. He moved past the neatly organised bookshelf and dug through the contents of the desk's drawers for anything that would seem useful. Old school notes, flyers on IFPG-organised rallies and the odd paper-back book were all present in the first couple of drawers. Pulling open the bottom drawer open, he was surprised to find the space packed with beauty cosmetics, ranging from foundation powder to eyeliners and lipsticks.

The beauty products brought about memories that Jaden had of Akina after he met her a year ago. She would apply that makeup to herself whenever she was out in public. The more upset and self-conscious she was the more make-up she would use to cover her face. Thankfully, it was a habit she fell out of shortly before the end of their first year at Gekkoukan.

Thinking back to those days, the image of Akina sitting in the back corner of the classroom crossed his mind. The girl's pink beanie covered most of her short white hair as she hid her face behind a stuffed rabbit she was tightly holding in front of her.

"The rabbit," Jaden thought out loud as he turned to find that same small rabbit sitting against the pillow on Akina's bed. It was just as the boy remembered it. Matted grey fur with bald patches at various parts around the body, chipped nose and one eye remaining loosely attached to the rabbit's face by a single strand.

"How have you been, old friend?" Jaden carefully picked up the rabbit and headed towards the exit, knowing that the stuffed toy was just what he needed. Avoiding Akina's father with ease, Jaden didn't bother to announce his departure before returning to Kota.

* * *

 **One year earlier...**

"So how about it? Wanna take a look at my Pocket Creature card collection?" The two boys before Jaden looked at each other with confusion until one of them sighed harshly and looked back at the blonde.

"Look, man, we aren't interested. Besides, we've already made plans with someone else after school today."

"You wouldn't happen to have room for one more, would ya?" Jaden smiled hopefully but the boys didn't even show a hint of friendliness.

"Sorry, it's between us long-time buds. Another day perhaps." They were quick to run out the predominantly empty classroom, most likely to eat at the new cafeteria that was completed over the winter break that most of the student body was excited about.

"I swear, this was a lot easier back in Tokyo." Jaden's first day of high school started out to be one to forget. He had failed to bond with any of the boys in his class that he had spoken to so far, and while Jaden had a smirk on his face as he joked to himself, he started to sense that going through the prime of his youth as a loner was a real possibility.

Mauling over what his options were for his free period, an abrupt nudge on his shoulder interrupted Jaden and almost forced him off his feet. His eyes darted over to whatever hit him and immediately saw the pink beanie of someone much shorter than him. Jaden heard a small yelp as he watched the female student stumble backwards, clutching her nose.

"Hey now! Be careful with where you're going." The girl looked up at him with her red, teary eyes with a glare that was so harsh that it felt as though it was piercing his own brown eyes. In the well-lit room, Jaden was able to notice that her face was heavily coated in a foundation, accompanied by the thick eyeliner she had on.

"J-Jerk!" The girl was fighting to hold back her sobs as she nudged past him and headed for the hallway. The girl's reaction took him by surprise. It wasn't like she would have hurt herself by walking into him with so little force.

The blonde heard giggling from behind him before three girls walked past him from where the odd girl sat. From observing their malicious smirks and forcibly hushed voices, Jaden knew that whatever they were laughing about wasn't tasteful.

"Was that girl being bullied?" Being the only person remaining in the room, Jaden voiced his question to himself to fill up the quietness that remained with him. Deciding that it shouldn't be his problem, Jaden stepped towards the noise that ran through the halls. It was then when Jaden felt something under his foot. He looked down to see a grey stuffed rabbit.

Jaden picked up the stuffed rabbit and frowned at it as it almost looked deformed. He carefully brushed the footprint from the stuffed toy, running his fingers over the rabbit's patchy fur. He noticed how clean and soft it felt given that it had just been stomped on. Its battered appearance wasn't brought about by negligent, but merely of age.

"That clumsy blockhead must have dropped it when she ran into me." As strange as she was, Jaden had to return it to her if he wanted to avoid feeling any future guilt.

* * *

Jaden couldn't find her during the lunch break, even though he scoured the whole school in search of her. As he was new to the campus, he got lost on multiple occasions and was lucky to make his way back to his classroom before the teacher started the next lesson. When he took his seat and pulled out his books, he looked over his shoulder and saw that the girl wasn't in her seat.

As the hours went by, the empty desk at the back of the class still bothered Jaden. The introductory lectures from each of the teachers were little more than background noise as he tried his best to take in what was being said. He couldn't help but regularly glance at the patchy rabbit staring back at him from his lap through its one good eye.

Just as Jaden was drifting into sleep with the sounds of raindrops tapping on glass, the final chime played through the intercom. The students around him gathered their belongings and left swiftly in groups. Jaden sluggishly followed, readying his umbrella for the walk home.

The halls were quiet as the blonde headed for the main gate with most of the school-goers rushing to carry out their arrangements for the afternoon. Jaden let out a frustrated sigh. He was hoping more than anything that he would be surrounded by new friends by the end of the day, yet he was barely able to hold a conversation with anyone he came across. Forfeiting to the idea that he would have to spend the remainder of the day alone in the nearby arcade, Jaden slipped on his shoes by his shoe locker.

Before reaching the steps leading to the wide path lined with cherry blossoms, Jaden caught sight of a familiar shade of pink. The beanie-wearing girl from lunch was resting her head and shoulder on the marble pillar, staring blankly at the heavy rainfall before her.

"Hey there. I didn't get to see you after you ran into me during lunch." Jaden said. The girl lifted her head and looked at Jaden with mild surprise before looking back at the raindrops rapidly bombarding the pavement. Despite not getting a response, Jaden was determined to maintain his cheerfulness. "I'm sorry if you got hurt. You had me worried when you didn't come back for class."

"I'm sure you have better things to do then talk to me, so you should go." Her harsh words felt as though they left paper-thin cut all across his chest. Jaden wasn't sure if that was because he was disappointed about being shrugged off again, or because he was reminded of his failure to find any friends.

"Well... not really. It would be nice but-" Jaden stopped himself from going on. Complaining to a stranger like this wasn't something he wanted to do. The girl looked at him without the sharpness that was there when they first met. Wanting to divert the focus from him, Jaden shuffled through his bag and produced the rabbit from it.

"You dropped this back in the classroom." The girl's eyes widened when she saw her stuffed animal and promptly took hold of it when Jaden held it out for her. "You should take better care of your things. Mr Bunny looks like he has seen better days."

"He looks fine!" The girl's outburst conveyed a feeling of sadness, rather than anger, when she held the rabbit to her chest defensively. "I think he's cute as he is." While he had no way of knowing that she was sensitive about her rabbit like that, Jaden felt terrible for upsetting her.

"Oh... um, s-sorry." The raindrops filled the silence that had arisen between them. The girl had rested her chin on the rabbit and stroked the back of its head with her thumb. Unsatisfied with leaving her alone in that state, Jaden spoke up.

"Why are you still standing around here anyway? Don't you have an umbrella?" The girl kept the rabbit close to her, covering her mouth with its matted fur. After a few passing moments, she shook her head subtly enough to keep her face hidden. Jaden opened his umbrella and stood close to her so the frame remained over both of their heads. The girl jumped from shock from the sudden encroachment of her space but could go back as far as the pillar behind her. Jaden smiled sheepishly at her.

"Let me walk you home. It will probably be nightfall by the time the rain lets up." She held her back against the pillar and had her alarmed gaze remain on Jaden for a moment before looking at her feet in thought. She wordlessly took half a step towards Jaden, unable to properly use the rabbit to hide her cheeks as they gave off a light red glow.

"I just need to get to the station…"

"Not a problem."

The girl edged a little closer to him once they took the first step out into the rain. Had the construction of the tramline been finished by then, the two of them could have caught it on their way to the train station and not have to worry about the rain. Instead, they walked alongside the ditch where the work was being done before it was momentarily abandoned due to the poor weather.

"The name's Jaden Gatogi by the way."

"Akina Yonashi." Jaden looked over at the not-so-talkative girl just to observe her. While Akina was an odd one, he felt nervous about walking so close to a girl. Being able to look at her more closely, he was easily able to notice the tear marks made by her eyeliner. The stray raindrop managed to land on her face and wash over part of her foundation despite the umbrella remaining over her.

"W-what are you gawking at?" Akina shied away from Jaden's gaze while he was oblivious of how weirded out she felt.

"Your make-up's running." Her eyes widened before she turned her head away from Jaden.

"J-just don't look at it then… Jerk." Jaden stopped abruptly, causing Akina to walk out into the rain. After a few steps, the white-haired girl realised that the umbrella was no longer above her. She darted back under the umbrella, but not before her beanie and shoulders got drenched. "What?"

"Just tidy yourself up with this." Jaden pulled a handkerchief from out of his pocket and handed it to Akina. She looked irritably at the plain white cloth, then sighed before handing the toy rabbit to the blonde and pulling out a pocket mirror, pointing it at her own face.

With the rain dampening her faces, the girl was able to firmly rub off the make-up relatively easily. After the last of the lipstick was scrubbed off, Jaden physically recoiled from the sight of her.

"Hey! What's with that look?"

"Nothing… With the amount of make-up you use, I just thought that you would have a huge scar on your face or be really ugly or something. Ow!" Jaden's words had earned him a kick in the shin from the not so impressed beanie-clad girl. It took all of the boy's willpower to keep the umbrella above their heads as the pain shot up his leg.

"Of course I'm not ugly!" Akina pouted as she gave herself one last glimpse at the mirror before putting it back in her blazer pocket. Snatching the rabbit back from Jaden, she wrapped her arms around it once more.

"Seriously though, you look fine. I'd imagine that you would be really cute if you smiled a bit more."

"You must have horrible taste in women then."

"…That's the appreciation I get for trying to cheer you up?" Picking up the sincerity in his voice, Akina let the stern look on her face eased into a look of remorse.

"I'm sorry." She let her arms drop to her sides so she could talk more openly with him. "I guess I'm not used to getting complimented like this."

"You know… There are these two words that people usually say to show that they are appreciative of an act of kindness."

"I know what they are!" After fighting herself to keep a straight face, Akina turned her head to hide her smile. "So… thank you, Gatogi."

"Anytime…" The pair continued to move through the quiet streets again when Jaden spoke up again. "Listen, this might not mean much but if anyone gives you a hard time or you're feeling down," Jaden spoke seriously as he continued to look ahead of him, "just know that you can count on me, alright?" Akina glanced at the blonde and didn't hide her grateful smile this time, giving Jaden's heart a jolt of warmth during that cold April afternoon.

"I appreciate it."

* * *

 **Present Day**

 _Place the item on the table in front of you._

Back in the dormitory, Kota followed the directions of the voice sounding through the old radio, gently placing the rabbit in a sitting position in the centre of the small table.

 _Now, point the Transferral at the object and hold down the button. It should recognise the item and send a copy over here._

With the watch attached to his wrist, Kota did as he was told. A pulse emitted from the watch and hit the rabbit, bending around the toy's form and ignoring the table it was placed on. Seconds later, the device sent two flashes of white light and returned to its usual state.

 _I have the stuffed rabbit. Meet me over at the gateway when you're ready._

The white noise grew after Glitch made her final statement before fading to silence, signalling that she had lifted her influence over the old speakers.

"Thanks for your help, Jaden," Kota spoke as he lowered his arm, the Transferral now contained within the sleeve of his blazer. "I'll be sure to bring Akina back, safe and sound."

"I?" Jaden frowned at Kota. "You're not telling me you plan on going there by yourself, are you?"

"Of course." Jaden's firm gaze didn't waver. "I'll be fine. You also don't have a way to defend yourself."

"Yeah, I do." Jaden pulled up his own sleeve to show that his own Transferral replaced the designer watch he usually wore. "I have the same power as you, remember?" Kota shook his head.

"It's too dangerous over there. You could get killed. I'm sorry, but I can't have you put your life at risk again."

"She's my friend too you know!" Jaden's sudden spike in the volume of his voice caused Kota to jump. The cyan-haired boy could see Jaden's eyes turn from frustration to sadness as the pair held their tongues. "And I'm worried about you too, so at least let be there if you need an extra hand."

From hearing those words, Kota felt a sense of strength rising from within him. Up until he heard that, Kota felt that he was expendable due to the lack of friends and family ties he had. His wellbeing mattered to someone, and Kota couldn't help but let out a small smile.

"If you allow me to support you too, then I won't have a problem taking you with me."

"You've got it." Jaden held his hand out and Kota firmly shook it. Even if the bond the two held was recently formed, he could feel a strong amount of trust start to flow through it.


	6. Into the Hall of Mirrors

**Chapter 6: Tuesday 16th April**

"Oh, you're here too..." Glitch had her usual vacant expression, spoke dully as she saw the pair leave the alternate dormitory in the Subex.

"You sound like you're happy to see me," Jaden stated sarcastically, as he frowned in response.

"It's not that I'm against you being here, it's because..." Glitch looked at the fractured road running between the rows of crumbled buildings to her left, thinking of the words to best explain what her concern is. "Just try not to put us in a position where we have to save you - again."

"That ain't going to happen! I have my own Persona, and I have the threads to prove it." Jaden puffed out his chest, bringing attention to his clothing.

Like Kota, he now wore his own variation of the Subex attire. and his Transferral around his wrist, though he had his own variation. The slick brown leather jacket with a flame design on his back was fully zipped up, leaving only the collar of his white shirt visible. Jaden lower half was made up of a pair of navy-blue jeans bearing a leather belt with a silver buckle. The pins that he wore on his uniform were carried over from his school uniform to the jacket along with his white sports shoes.

"What's the meaning of the different outfits, anyway?" Jaden tugged at the clothing to get a feel for the new material.

"It appears to be tied to your ability to wield a Persona, but aside from that, I can't say." Glitch said. Jaden eyed Glitch irritably.

"Some help you've been."

Glitch choose to ignore his comment and turned to Kota.

"I have the rabbit that you sent me, so hopefully that will lead us to your friend. If we are able to get through that portal, I want you to be ready to defend yourself." Glitch stepped to the side, revealing what she had prepared for the fight ahead.

There stood several worn tables lining the outside wall of the alternate dormitory. Upon them was a broad range of ancient weaponry spanning from European swords to those native to Japan. Almost any weapon imaginable was on display, from large polearms with the length of an average person to the smaller four-star shurikens attached to a custom-made belt. Kota looked at the weapons in awe.

"Where did you get these from?"

"I made them." Glitch said. Kota and Jaden gave the trenchcoat-clad figure looks of confusion. "Sometimes, I find scrap metal and other materials around the place. Since I have nothing else I could be doing, I usually forge them into weapons that fend off Shadows."

"But how does scrap metal even become... You know what, never mind." Given that the Subex lacked any physical presence, there was unlikely going to be a satisfying explanation to where the material came from, let alone how she forged them to make a variety of weapons. "So we can take anyone we want?"

"Whichever one is to your liking. You would need to have confidence in it to keep you alive, after all."

"Alright, now we're talking! Let's see here..."

Jaden rubbed his hands together as he looked over the weaponry presented to him, eyeing the display as if he was a kid left unattended in a candy store.

"Whoa! Check this out, Kota!" Jaden said, eventually claiming two identical weapons. "They're like nunchakus, except they look like they can actually hurt someone." By 'hurt someone', Jaden most probably meant that rather than having two sticks linked together by one chain, spiked balls made from heavy metal were attached to the end of the chain opposite to the handles.

"If you want to know the name of the weapons you are holding, they're called flails."

Jaden ignored Glitch and proceeded to swing the lethal spikes around in quick circles. Glitch and Kota backed away in fear of getting hit as Jaden made various fighting stances as the spikes continued to twirl at break-neck speeds. Eventually, one of the weapons stuck him in the back of the hand.

"Yaow!" The hand opened up and sent the opposing flail flying in the air. All eyes were on the spinning weapon as it soared high into the air before landing inches from Glitch's feet with a thud. With a sigh, Glitch picked up the flail and inspected the metal for any scratches or dents.

"If it weren't for your Persona, that impact would have ripped your hand off." Glitch thrust the handle towards Jaden. "That said, I would like you to try not to injure yourself before we run into any Shadows."

"Sorry..." Jaden wiped off the small traces of blood onto his jeans and grabbed the other flail from Glitch. If Jaden was bleeding from the hit, the wound had already closed up.

"You're going to need a weapon too." Glitch spoke to Kota while retaining her bland expression.

"R-right." Kota didn't have the slightest clue what sort of weapon he wanted, particularly since there were so many that he could choose from. He approached the large arsenal and after spending a long period thoroughly searching between the weapons before him, a glimmer from a large blade caught the corner of his eye.

The sword was long, easily over a metre long and looked to be quite heavy, but what drawn Kota to it was the quality of the blade. Even with the dull lighting in the Subex, the blade shone brightly. The golden hilt was simple in design, a thin grip and guard positioned perpendicular like a cross, but it did much to enhance the sword's beauty. The more he looked at it, the more the sword reminded Kota of the sword that his Persona wielded.

"I'll take this one." Kota took great care in lifting up the sword, finding that the sword was surprising light contrary to its appearance. Glitch gave a short nod.

"There's one thing you should know about these weapons…" As though it was on cue, the sword that Kota was holding vanished from his hands, as did Jaden's flails.

"Wha- What the heck? Where did my weapons go?" Jaden looked down at his hands, dumbfounded, while Kota stood in a stunned silence.

"The moment you develop a sense of ownership over one of these weapons, you are able to carry it without having to physically hold it. You're able to conjure it whenever you need it." Surely enough, the sword returned to Kota's hand the moment he wanted it to return to him. It felt as natural as using one of his own limbs.

"Holy shit, you weren't kidding." The spiked ball weapons returned to Jaden before he immediately eyed them suspiciously. "How does that even work?"

"Everything you find here has no physical presence, so it isn't bound to its physical form like things are on the surface. Once you understand that, it's quite simple."

"Err…" The blonde looked at Glitch in confusion while Kota looked down at his sword, deep in thought.

"Never mind." Unimpressed with the two outsiders, Glitch turned to the direction of their destination. "Let's head out."

With their weapons chosen, Kota and Jaden followed Glitch to the closed-off archway. If Kota's worries were to come true, Akina will be on the other side of that portal.

"There's one last thing I need to give you two before we go any further." Glitch reached under her coat and fished out two coloured strips of cloth.

"What sort of crazy powers do these things have?" Jaden eagerly grabbed the orange strip, leaving Kota to take the blue one.

"Compared to the weapons, this should be easy for you to understand. If you keep it on your person, I'll be able to monitor your condition and track where you are. I've designed them like ties, so you could carry them around with relative ease."

Moments later, Kota's tie hung loosely around his collar as his top button was undone. Looking at Jaden, however, he saw that his friend instead chose to tie it around his forehead like an impromptu headband.

"Do you need help you with your tie, Jaden?" Kota offered the irritated blonde.

"No, I don't need any help!" Jaden huffed. "It's fine, I don't like ties anyway."

"Then why were you fiddling with it around your neck earlier?" Glitch interjected simply before approaching the blonde and taking the tie from his head. "Here. You'll look silly otherwise."

"This is hardly the place to worry about appearances…" Jaden sulked as Glitch fastened the material around his neck and shoved it beneath his jacket. "Can we just get focus on getting Akina back now?"

"Of course." Glitch went on to pull the stuffed animal from the inside of her coat and handed it to Kota. The rabbit felt as coarse and frail as it did back in the real world. "Take the rabbit and approach the gateway. We'll be right behind you."

Not thinking too much into this, he held the rabbit in front of his chest as he walked towards the arch. Nothing happened after the first few steps, but when Kota was almost within arm's reach from the door, the solid red door started to bubble.

"Huh? Is it working?" Kota heard Jaden from over his shoulder as the wall looked to be getting sucked into the portal it was previously covering. A bright crimson light then burst from the portal and consumed all that stood before it. A dull jiggle that one would hear at a circus or carnival filled his ears as the light started to dim.

When the light died down, Kota's eyes were able to adjust to his surroundings. The sky was filled with dark crimson clouds, casting darkness all around the lit compound. In the compound within the high barb-wired fences, rusted metal structures dotted the landscape. A Ferris wheel, carousel, and several booths and sideshows were all in horrendous condition despite them donning fully functioning lights of many colours, flashing in different tempos.

Kota, Jaden and Glitch all stood just inside the tall fences, the portal behind them and blocked once again.

"What on Earth is this place?" Jaden was unsettled as he looked at the fairgrounds, clenching his fists around his flails.

 _Come one come all to greatest show this planet will ever see!_

Kota and Jaden were started by the mechanical voice which boomed out of nowhere.

 _Our star attraction will be putting on its finest show in the Hall of Mirrors for your entertainment. Don't miss this once in a lifetime performance, for there no telling whether our star will come out of this daring act alive!_

"Huh? Are they talking about Yonashi?!" Kota turned to others to see their reactions. Jaden's face had an equally alarmed look on it as what Kota had. Glitch, on the other hand, looked to be a lot more collected.

"It's possible, but we need to keep calm and focus on what we came here for."

"You're right. Getting her out of here is the only thing that matters right now." While Kota felt weak at the knees, he was able to take deeper breaths to compose himself.

"So where will we be able to find her?" Jaden spoke up with determination. "This place looks huge. It could take ages before we run into her."

"The announcer mentioned something by the name of 'The Hall of Mirrors'," Glitch spoke with reason. "That place is as good as any to start the search."

"Wait, could that place be it?" Kota pointed to the large tent which stood at about the height of a four-story building. The red and white stripes that the tent bore was peeking over the many stalls that dotted the showgrounds.

"I don't see any signs to tell us that it is, but I starting to sense that that's where your friend will be." Glitch turned to her two companions who were both looking fiercely at the giant tent. "So are you guys sure you're up to this?" Jaden nodded and glanced at Kota who gave a determined look of his own.

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

Kota could sense that he and his friends weren't safe the moment they entered the opening of the tent and into another set of hallways. He could make out the minuscule pieces of glass that lined the floor of the dark hallway ahead of him. The mirrors that covered the walls and ceilings were damaged to the point where it was impossible to make out the reflections behind the massive cracks running as far as Kota could see.

Most worryingly of it all, he could sense an ominous presence in the hall with him. It was a feeling no different to what he felt when he first arrived at the spaceship with Jaden.

 _Be amazed by the images shown before you, for these mirrors are said to be able to look deep into one's soul!_

The mechanical voice echoed from every direction. Again, the origin of the noise was impossible to determine.

 _Are you as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside? Ponder on the images presented to you as the truth you kept hidden from yourself is there for all to see._

"For real? That's not how mirrors work." Jaden started to tread carefully around the pieces of glass as Kota stayed near him in order to not lose sight of him in the dark.

"Remember that this isn't the real world. This plane of unconsciousness was created by your friend when she was dragged here." Glitch kept a distance behind the school-goers, allowing her heavy boots to crush the glass beneath her feet. "That said, I wonder what the significance of all this is..."

"What really matters is getting Akina out of here, right? We don't have time to worry about that." Tired of the slow pace that Jaden had set, Kota marched on ahead, without a care for the glass on the ground.

"Quit being so insensitive!" The cyan-haired boy was thrown off by Jaden's strong words, stopping everyone where they stood. "She's a friend to you, right? She has been struggling with her feelings of self-doubt for as long as I've known her. I want to do everything I can to get rid of those doubts."

"He's right. This place is made of her deepest insecurities. Knowing them and supporting her while she faces them is just as important as reaching her. Isn't that what you did for him when you last came here?" Kota bit the inside of his cheek knowing that he was in the wrong.

"Sorry... I really want to make sure she'll be okay."

"You and me both, man." Jaden walked towards Kota, no longer concerned about the wellbeing of his shoes. "We'll make it through this." Contrary to his optimistic words, the look on his face was one of disturbance, possibly regret. Kota nodded and walked with the other two explorers.

The party reached the end of the hallway, walking in the centre of the spacious square-shaped room. There were more doorways leading to hallways, one on each wall.

"So where do you guys think we should go now?" Jaden's words were promptly followed by multiple spotlights coming to life, focusing their beams on the bewildered trio. As Kota lifted his hand to block the light from his eyes, he could make out three figures flying out of the darkness and landing in the spotlight with him. The figures gave out cackling laughs as Kota held his sword in front of him.

The two outside figures looked similar to large jack-in-a-boxes with a clown doll torso attached to an open red box with a rusted spring. The doll, which was predominantly coloured red had a wide fixed grin on its face, but it wasn't the slightest bit friendly. The middle figure was a small green clown standing on tall stilts wearing the same smile as the other two. Kota knew that they were bad news the moment he saw them.

"These things are-"

"Shadows! They're hostile, so you're going to have to fight them off." Glitch said. The green clown cackled again and a ball of wind shot out of its chest and swung towards Kota. Letting his instincts kick in, he dived out of the path of the projectile. It proved to not be the best decision as Kota had to roll over the shards of glass before he could get on his feet again, leaving small cuts all over his back. Thankfully, the healing factor from his Persona cleared the damage from his back and clothing.

"I've got this one!" The coin appeared in front of Jaden before tossing it up in the air. "Let's do this, Mercury! **Agi!** "

Jaden's hand clasped the coin and the gold-armoured Persona appeared behind him. His spiked weapons were burning brightly as Mercury swung one of his maces around his body, launching a burning fireball at the clown on stilts. It gave a horrified screech as the Shadow perished from the flames on impact.

"Woah, did you see that? That was freaking awesome!" As Jaden admired his own attack, another Shadow pounced at him. Leaving him no time to defend himself, the jack-in-a-box's hand enlarged itself drastically before slapping him with a tremendous amount of force. Jaden grunted in pain as he was knocked off his feet and landed on the shards of glass lining the floor.

"Jaden!" Kota looked on as the Shadow sprang up into the air and prepared to land a fatal blow on the downed student. The cyan-hair boy willed his coin into existence hoping to prevent the attack from connecting.

"Dante!" With a swift slap that brought the coin down to the back of his hand, the cloaked swordsman rushed at the Shadow, slicing his sword across the exposed spring and severing the doll from its box. As the Shadow wailed before melting into the floor, Kota heard a loud clap from behind him. He turned his head just in time to see a wave of fire surge towards him.

"Ah!" Despite his efforts to stay on his feet, Kota was thrown backwards before hitting the floor once again. That was when a cloaked figure rushed towards the Shadow. Despite its size, they closed the distance to their target at an incredibly fast rate. Glitch's weapon appeared from nowhere, a pole which extended in size as it was unveiled bearing curved blades on both ends. She swung it at the creature's box, slicing it in two and causing the rest of the Shadow to deteriorate with a cry.

With every enemy slain, the spotlight shut itself off as Kota and Jaden gingerly got to their feet. Glitch recalled her weapon and looked back at the students with a less-than-pleased look.

"Thanks a bunch," Jaden muttered as he brushed the glass off of the sleeves of his jacket, avoiding a harsh gaze from Glitch.

"I don't have the luxury of possessing a Persona of my own, so any attack I take from them could kill me instantly." It was the first time that Kota saw Glitch express this much emotion. "If you both mess up again, I might not be able to intervene. Is that understood?" The intense look in her eyes made Kota worry that she might pull her weapon out on them, even when her face remained as passive as ever.

"U-understood... I promise I won't get so complacent next time." Sweat formed on Jaden's forehead as he held his hands out in front of himself. Kota just slowly nodded in agreement.

"Good." And just like that, Glitch reverted back to her cool self. "We're certain to come across more Shadows as we go on, so get used to those Personas and weapons as quickly as you can."

* * *

" **Cleave!** " Dante brought his sword down over the last remaining Shadow, slicing the small monochrome figure and the starred ball it was balancing on, in half. After their first fight, Kota and Jaden fared much better when they fought the several waves of Shadows. The team had already made their way up three floors and were now at the foot of another set of marble steps, though not without feeling the fatigue that was built up from the damage they took and the frequent use of their Personas.

"Jeez, Kota, you really are... a natural at this." Jaden had sat on the steps not far from where the battle had taken place, taking advantage of the fact that the steps were the only surfaces in the tent that didn't have any glass on it. He was panting fairly hard and his clothing was covered in sweat.

"Are you doing alright? You look tired." Kota asked. Jaden smiled at Kota and was able to give him a thumbs-up.

"I'm not the fittest guy going around, but it's nothing that a quick breather won't fix... huh?" Jaden's eye had noticed something on the floor that looked have interested him. Bringing himself to his feet, the blonde picked up a particularly large piece of one of the mirrors from the ground.

Jaden stared into the piece of reflective glass in his hand with a curious look on his face. After a few seconds, a smile spread across his face as he let out a laugh. Shortly after, he was pulling all sort of obscure faces as he continued to gaze at the mirror. Kota and Glitch looked at him in discomfort, before Glitch cleared her throat in a small effort to bring attention away from the mirror.

"What are you doing?" Glitch asked. Jaden looked up from the mirror piece at her.

"You remember how that announcement mentioned something about the mirrors showing how people look on the inside? I can see Mercury in my reflection!" Jaden looked back in the mirror, though his expression became sour. "It sucks that he has his mask on. I can't see him pulling stupid faces with me."

"What a tragedy..." Glitch couldn't look anymore uncaring, even for her.

"Hey Kota, I bet you could see Dante with this. Why don't you try it out?" Kota envisioned his Persona's calm, focused face, and then imagined him pulling faces similar to those that Jaden had just made. He couldn't deny that he was a tiny bit curious about seeing it.

"Alright, let me have a look." Kota took the mirror and gazed into its reflection. At first, the mirror just showed his reflection that perfectly mimicked his own appearance. Then the image became distorted into a swirling pattern, continuing to heavily alter the reflection. Kota's eyelids were stretched as far back as it could physically go. It felt as if he was being absorbed by the mirror, as all the colour was drained from the shard. From the black void, Kota noticed a silhouette of a young boy that he did not have any hope of recognising.

Then, he found himself in the middle of a suspension bridge. The moon that loomed over the scene was abnormally large as it let off an eerie green glow. Surrounding Kota were caskets, all facing in his direction from all over the paved road running over the bridge. Just ahead of the teen was a car, severely crumpled as though it was hit head-on by a bullet train. Fresh blood started to pour out the car doors, adding to the wide-spanning pool below.

The vision evoked a sudden pain in his temple. Kota granted as he snapped his eyes shut and forced his free hand cover his eyes. The feeling of dizziness that he had when he first arrived in Iwatodai returned as his knees started to wobble.

What he'd just seen... was that... a lost memory of his?

"Woah, Kota! What happened?" he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder to help keep him steady. The pain started to die off to Kota's relief, but the words that he heard had remained burned into his mind.

"It's nothing... I'm fine."

"Are you sure? We can't have you lose control of yourself when Shadows are in the vicinity," he heard Glitch speak up from further away.

Kota nodded before lowering his hand. He slowly opened his eyes to see the mirror piece, only to find that his own reflection was nervously looking back at him. Blood ran down his sleeves at a slow pace, coming from the cuts that formed due to the tight grip that he had on the edges of the mirror shard.

"You two need to be careful with what you find here. Even the most innocuous-looking objects could be dangerous." Glitch took the mirror from Kota and was ready to throw it across the room... until she saw her reflection with the corner of her eye as she lifted her arm.

Glitch remained still for a moment but brought the piece of mirror in front of her face. As Kota and Jaden silently watched her get absorbed in her reflection, her facial features appeared to have been brought to life. Her usually cold eyes lit up as she continued to stare at the mirror, but also expressed a feeling of melancholy. Her mouth was left slightly agape, unable to vocalise any of the emotions that she was experiencing.

"Uh... Glitch?" The pale girl blinked upon hearing Jaden say her name, slowly returning to her senses.

"We have to keep looking for your friend, right? This should be enough rest for now." Glitch tucked the mirror shard inside of her cloak as if the last few moments never happened. Kota felt compelled to ask what she saw as it appeared to have a strong impact on her, though that wasn't the time to ask her.

"You're right. She can't be far now."

* * *

After climbing the stairway to the final floor, the group immediately noticed how quiet it was by comparison to the previous levels. While they weren't ever attacked, Kota could sense the Shadows prying on them from the dark corners of the large, shard-coated rooms they walked further into the darkness.

"Are we even heading the right way? We've been walking like this for ages." Despite his whiny tone, he sounded uncomfortable in the tense atmosphere everyone had found themselves in.

"I can sense your friend close by," Glitch replied. "Not only can I detect the disturbance just ahead, but the Shadows here are acting differently."

"Why aren't they attacking us?" Kota spoke while remaining aware of the indistinguishable masses moving around them. "If they are trying to prevent us from reaching Akina, shouldn't they be acting more urgently now?"

"I don't have the slightest idea…"

After walking for a further couple minutes in fear of getting swarmed, the dim blue lighting was replaced with the flashing of multiple colours coming from the edges of the doorway. Whatever was on the other side of it was hidden by a red curtain sporting the twisted face of a wicked looking clown.

"Gah! Could they just quit it with the stupid clowns already? My sleep schedule is messed up enough as it is." Jaden rubbed the tear ducts with the thumb and forefinger of his hand as though he was emphasising the point.

"If my sixth sense isn't mistaken, whoever is responsible for this labyrinth is past these curtains."

"Seriously?! Yonashi's here?" Kota couldn't contain the eagerness in his voice if he had tried. The group had been moving almost non-stop for what felt close to an hour and it had certainly felt that it had taken its toll on him.

"But just like with the blonde, they're unlikely to get rid of their despair without a fight. Are you ready for that possibility?"

"Absolutely," Kota responded to Glitch's question without missing a beat. "She's in this mess because of us... so I'm willing to give my life to bring her back."

"Hear hear!" Jaden sounded heartedly before holding his flails at the ready while sporting an enthusiastic smirk. "Come on. Let's go kick some Shadow butt!"


	7. The Horrific Imp

**Chapter 7: Tuesday 16th April**

Once the curtain was briskly thrown aside, the blinding light streamed into the hallway, forcing Kota to shelter his eyes with his arm. After a brief moment, the light lost its intensity, and the Wild Card user was able to make out some of his surroundings.

The spotlight that remained fixed on the exploring party was the only source of light in the room. Rusted chain link caging constrained the group to a narrow wooden walkway heading in a straight line towards the centre of the dark room.

Kota glanced to his right towards Jaden, the classmate showing signs of nerves by the slight twitching of his eye. As he returned Kota's gaze, he composed himself and gave a curt nod of assurance. The thought of going through what he experienced with Jaden's despair evoked some fear in Kota, but at least he won't be alone this time.

He walked down the pathway towards the black abyss with Jaden and Glitch trailing closely behind him. As the group moved slowly with great apprehension, the lone light followed them closely. The moment Kota stepped onto the course dirt surface at the end of the planked avenue, the light abruptly shut off with a loud fizzle as if the light had burst.

"Dammit!" Jaden exclaimed in fright. "A-Are those monsters toying with us or something?"

"Quiet!" Glitch hushed from nearby though she couldn't be seen in the darkness.

Suddenly the sound of a drum roll filled Kota's ears as two dim spotlights appeared and circulated the room. The suspense kept everyone high-strung as they remained rooted in place.

 _Ladies and Gentlemen, we thank you for your patience in awaiting tonight's main event._

A deeper, more human voice than the one that greeted the party at the entrance of the tent announced over the drumming in a tone that was building up to a climax.

 _Before we begin, we ask all spectators to remain behind the fences at all times in the interest of everyone's safety. We must also ask that you don't try any of tonight's show at home as the performance is produced by a trained professional._

 _And now… without further ado… give it up for our beast tamer, Akina Yonashi!_

Light flooded the room without warning, showing the large and bare arena that Kota had stepped into with a large alcove at the far end blocked off with study metal bars. Cheers erupted from all around the seating area behind the tall fences, even though there was no sign of anything using the worn benches. Standing motionless like a statue in the centre of the arena was none other than the beanie-wearing girl that Kota and Jaden had come for, keeping her vacant eyes locked onto the ground. On the ground either side of her was a coiled whip and a small, tired-looking stool.

"Yonashi!" Kota could feel the worry and stress roll off his mind as he moved quickly towards her.

"Why…" The girl was unscathed and wearing her Gekkoukan uniform, but the mood she was letting off was massively out of the ordinary for her, yet Kota found it eerily familiar.

"It's alright, Akina. We've come to get you out of here." Jaden was walking briskly beside Kota when Akina started panicking as her classmates came close to her.

"No!" Akina mistook a step backwards before falling to her knees. Her hands flew up to grasp the front of her beanie, covering her eyes in the process. "Just leave me alone."

"We can't do that. Staying here will be dangerous."

"I don't care," The girl wailed, her grip tightening on her headdress – as if her very being depended on it. "I just don't want to go back." The phantom crowd began mimicking the sound of whispering between each other.

"Akina! Just think for a moment," Jaden spoke. "We've all been worried sick about you."

"Don't you think I've had enough? Huh!?" The massive amount of voices sounding simultaneous had built up into a loud, continuous buzz filling the entire arena. "I'm sick of the bullying, the gossiping behind my back… the lying…" Akina was trembling as the voices sounded even louder and more harshly.

"Yonashi, please…" Kota felt sick in the stomach from the seeing the pain in her eyes. If only he had realised how insecure Akina felt about him and Jaden keeping a secret from her, he would have tried to tell her sooner. "We never spoke badly of you. We just didn't want you to get involved with this place."

"That may have been the case… but that doesn't change anything." The whispering slowly died off, letting the silence take over the room once more. Akina's arms dropped limply to her side, leaving the dark rings around her eyes easily visible from where the boys were standing.

"I'm… not normal. I wasn't born with dark hair or deep brown eyes like most people." The albino looked to have winced slightly as she spoke of her abnormality. "Actually I couldn't be any further from that image… I'm a monstrosity in everyone's eyes."

"Akina…" Kota could hear the hurt in Jaden's voice as he gritted his teeth through the pause. "Stop saying stuff like that! You're better than this!"

"I… I can't pretend anymore! No matter what I do, I'm stuck with this body… and with it comes the alienation that everyone forces on me." Akina shut her eyes off from everyone though the tears still managed to well up between her eyelids. "Maybe if I was better at dealing with people, everyone would be able to look at me and see more than just my red eyes and pale skin… But I'm not good enough… I'll never be good enough." She slowly got back to her feet and looked weakly at her two classmates through eyes that could be likened to an endless red void, like staring into an endless desert free of anything of significance.

"So, please… Jaden… Kota… let me free myself from this life."

The request made its impact like a spear hurled through Kota's chest, as Jaden let out a shaky breath as if the air was knocked out of his lungs. Glitch, who had been keeping her distance from the school students during the exchange, remained largely unaffected in comparison.

"If you guys let her die, there's no telling what consequence it will have on the Subex and the world above it." There was a trace of urgency in her usually bland voice, but Kota couldn't shake the stunned state to act in any way.

A hundred hands clapping at a slow tempo in unison shook the arena as Akina turned her back on the group and scooped up the whip and stool from the floor. The clapping sped up as the girl took several slow strides towards the dark alcove, shooting an immense feeling of fear through Kota's body.

That was when he noticed a dark mist spill silently through the bars and swirling in a circle on the arena floor. As the mist started to build, a black figure started to be built from the ground up. Four large paws attached to brawny legs, a bulky midsection with a long whip-like tail, thick bushy mane and red glowing eyes.

Whiffs of fine smoke rose slowly from the shadowy figure as it bared its fangs and growled menacingly. As if she wasn't perturbed at the slightest, Akina stopped looked straight at the Shadow without any sign of movement.

"No…" Jaden stared at the scene unfold before him with wide-eyes. "We can't let her go ahead with this!" The speed of the clapping continued to hasten as the lion took a few slow, deliberate paces towards its intended target. Instead of using the stool and whip to fend off the animal like a monster tamer, Akina dropped them and just stared at the lion. She was accepting her death and even if it was against her word, Kota couldn't live with himself if he stood by and did nothing.

"Kota!" As if Jaden's plea flicked a switch in his mind, Kota dashed as quickly as ever as the beast pounced. Calling forth his sword, the Wild Card put all his might into delivering a fatal overhead swing to the charging beast. Right as the Shadow's sharp teeth were within inches of its intended prey, Kota intercepted it by inflicting a giant laceration through its stomach.

The shadow hung in the air as if frozen in time, before rapidly disintegrating into the sickening smog that it was formed from. The invisible crowd responded vulgarly with deafening boos and hissing, having been cheated of its promised entertainment.

"What…" Akina had not even flinched during the whole ideal, her face void of emotion and impossible for Kota to read.

"Akina… regardless of whether this is how you truly feel or if this place in influencing your thoughts, I know that you will regret ending it all here." As Kota reasoned with her, Jaden gave a silent nod of encouragement while Glitch looked on with a hint of concern being shown in her eyes. "If you're afraid of anything, Jaden and I will do anything we can to help once we're all safe."

"What the hell! There's nothing you can do for me, so how the hell can you say that?" The look she gave Kota was similar to that aggressive glare that she had shortly before she fell into her coma, except her lifeless eyes made it much more malicious and sinister looking. "You know what? I bet you just want me around to be the butt of your jokes."

"Wait, no. It's not like-"

"I refuse… I refuse I refuse I refuse I refuse!"

"Look out!" Glitch yelled out to Kota moment before he felt himself get blown away by an explosion hitting him from behind. Instead of having the burning sensation that he had once felt when he fought in the spaceship, the hair on his body went stiff and his back muscles constricted as if it had an abrupt exposure to sub-zero winds.

The boy landed nastily on his shoulder and rolled just shy of Jaden's feet, thankful that this floor wasn't covered with broken glass like the previous ones.

"You alright?!" Jaden pulled his friend to his feet before both students looked up at the despair-induced Shadow that hovered above Akina.

It was a purple creature with large wings and fair, oily hair. Its body was largely hidden by the enormous mirror it held in front of it with its four scrawny arms. The face that peered over the intrusive object was heavily wrinkled, almost looking as though it was disfigured.

"This world has forsaken me! It has cursed me with this outward form, and that is why I want no further part of it!" Akina glared at the three intruders with a furious look on her face.

Countless specks of black partials appeared seemingly out of nowhere, leaping through the fencing from all directions into the arena. Just like how the Shadow lion had originally appeared, two more beastly figures started to between the Imp and the Persona users.

All the specks had taken their forms, and while they both had the same body as the lion Kota had fended off earlier, the heads were absent. Instead, the necks were extended to form flat faces of different colours. The red-faced one had its squinted eyes pointed inward while baring an open-mouthed grin. The other with a blue face had their eyes pointed outward while wearing a large frown. Both creatures had massive tongues dangling close to the ground and dripping with thick saliva.

"As if having to deal with Yoda's neglected cousin wasn't enough, those things look freakin' gross." Jaden pulled out his flails from thin air while looking at the Shadows with disgust.

"Enough pointless commentary," Glitch said sternly. "They look to be preparing for an attack."

"Out of all the people that have caused me pain, the two of you have been the worst!" Akina yelled from behind the aggressive-looking shadows. "I trusted both of you, and yet, you turn your backs on me the moment I'm not needed… If you plan to keep hurting me, I'll just have to respond in kind!"

The Imp's mirror glistened before the lions were enveloped in bright orange light. Kota could sense the heightened power from the beasts before the red lion pounced at him.

"I've got it covered." Jaden's Persona Coin materialised in front of him. "Mercury! Set him alight!" The impact from the frail scattered the coin into hundreds of minuscule sparkling particles, awakening the gold-armoured warrior.

Mercury let off a powerful horizontal swing to launch a fireball from its flaming mace. The projectile curved in several directions before hitting its target straight in the chest, exploding on contact. Yet, to Jaden's surprise, the attack didn't slow the beast even slightly.

"What the heck!" Jaden yelled in awe as Kota had to brace himself at the last moment before the red lion struck him with a powerful 'Headbutt'. The painful blow felt as though it almost caused his chest to cave in as the Wild Card was knocked into the air. Gritting his teeth through the agonising feeling, Kota managed to use the momentum to roll into a crouched stance with his own coin just levitating in front of him.

"Dante!" With a swift clench of his fist, the horned warrior let loose a sudden burst of wind that hit Kota's attacker before it could react to the counter-attack. The wind-based attack launched the beast, sending it flying in the air before collapsing by the feet of the other Shadows.

"It looks like wind is the go-to element against that Shadow." Glitch said from behind the two boys, keeping herself well away from the battle.

"Damn, nice moves man!" Jaden complimented before the Imp sounded out an intense screech that conjured a large, jagged block of ice the size of an average-sized person. It hung in the air for a brief moment before spiralling towards the blonde. Having learnt from earlier mistakes, Jaden dove to his right and escaped the projectile easily as it let off a small explosion on impact.

"…But, don't think that I'll just let you show me up this time!" Jaden called Mercury to deliver another ball of fire spiralling towards Akina's Despair in retaliation.

Before the attack had reached its target, the blue beast let out a cringe-worthy sound that could only be explained as being a mix between a deep purr and a thick gargling noise. A purple light appeared to arise from the ground around the monster and surrounded it. Before the light vanished, a bright flash and an accompanying sound filled the arena from the enemy. The impact from the fireball forced the Imp to stagger in the air but otherwise weathered the hit while sustaining little damage.

"That Shadow boosted the Despair's defence. It's going to be tough to beat it without weakening it again." Glitch continued to inform the team during the battle as Jaden exhaled a frustrated sigh.

"Kota, I'll soften them up for you. **Dekaja!** " Mercury forcefully crossed his forearms and maces with each other to make the shape of a diamond over his chest, conjuring a sphere of wires that flashed various different colours surrounding the Imp and lions before imploding. The glow that was emitting from the Shadows due to the buffs looked to have been removed entirely.

"Thanks, Jaden. Persona!" Dante swung his sword across his body with one hand to call down an electric bolt. The attack shocked the Imp and caused it to recoil in pain while letting out a distressed snarl. All the while, Akina was watching the fight with dull eyes and a scornful scowl on her face.

"My family… my teachers… my classmates…" Akina was trembling with the rage that she struggled to hold it in. "Not one single person could find a single worthwhile quality about me. What on Earth would make you guys any different from them? You're both lying! There's no other explanation!"

The Imp delivered another lung-bursting scream, damaging enough to force Kota and Jaden to cover their ears. Without as much as a warning, the mirror cracked from the harsh vibrations in the air before the glass shards shot out from the frame and started to rain over the school students.

Distracted and disorientated, the Persona-users barely reacted until the large shards passed cleanly through both of their bodies and leaving them both sprawled on the ground. While the wounds had completely healed themselves as quickly as they were inflicted, the burning pain continued to linger with every breath as if large lumps of dry ice had firmly embedded itself inside of their lungs.

Kota grit his teeth and pushed himself to get up. Despite the pain that fought to pin him down, the second-year recuperated in time to see the two big-tongued beasts charging towards him.

" **Repulsing Burst!** " Dante appeared in a defensive stance, holding his large sword in front of him like a cross. With a glisten of his glass eye, the Persona sent out a wave of wind that halted the Shadows' advances, forcefully sending them back on skidding legs to where they previously stood.

"Can you keep going?" Kota noticed that Jaden was slow to recover and turned to his friend. The blonde's fist tightened around his weapons as he shakily lifted his torso from the ground.

"I'll be 'right." Jaden gingerly stood back up, though his legs were visibly shaking from the strain he put them in.

These Shadows were far tougher than any of the others Kota had to face in the circus tent. While he and Jaden both grew stronger as they became more familiar with their powers, neither of them expected to have this tough a time overcoming the Despair that stood between them and Akina.

"You can't outlast the Despair if you keep exchanging magical attacks," Glitch called out. "You're going to have to get close to it."

"It's not going to happen while those two things are in the way," Kota responded.

"Well, do something about them first. The Imp has left you an opening."

"The mirror..." Upon close inspection of the winged monstrosity, Kota could see what Glitch was referring to. The mirror that Akina's Despair was holding no longer had any of its reflective glass left due to the large attack that it had just dealt. Small specks of light were being sucked into the frame in order to restore it, though the glass looked to be returning at a snail's pace. "She's right! Let's focus our attacks on the two beasts before it recovers."

"Understood." Jaden made his coin appear before promptly smashing it with his flail. "Go for it, Mercury! **Bash!** "

The gold-armoured Persona soared towards the red beast, appearing only as a blur to the human eye. While the targeted Shadow jumped at him, it was easily overpowered as Mercury's flaming maces hit the beast with a horizontal swing. Black ooze spilt out in thick clumps from the neck of the obscure creature as it staggered, unsure of where it was standing.

"I'll get the other one. Dante, use Zio!" The more conservative of the two Shadows was forced to jump to its side in order to dodge the bolt of electricity. Kota mentally called for Dante to continue the assault, sending more Zio attacks its way. While the blue lion evaded every one of his attacks, Dante did well to occupy the Shadow's attention while Mercury went to work on its ally.

"Now to finish this one off!" Jaden started to spin one of his flails at an intimidating speed. Kota could see the fire in his friend's eyes as the blonde's Persona appeared above him in a readied position. " **Assault Dive!** "

With the sudden stop of the flail with a grasp of the chain, the signal was given for Mercury to deliver a brutal downward charge. The red lion was a sitting duck as the impact of the attack immediately tore through it. With a gargling wail, the unfortunate enemy had rapidly deteriorated like many of the other Shadows slain before it.

"Ha! That's one down. The rest should be a cakewalk." With one Shadow reduced to microscopic specks, the odds were evened out with two fighters on either side.

"That damn Gatogi kid..." While she had been quiet for much of the fight, Akina was watching the exchange of blows with keen interest. "Ever the opportunist. You haven't been preying on any vulnerable girls while I have been gone, have you?"

"What?!" Jaden was left taken aback by Akina's question out of left field. "What the hell makes you say that?!"

"You act like you're so innocent… You remember how we met right? I was standing out in the rain. Being stranded in the rain after being subjected to constant bullying, I could not have been any more vulnerable."

"Stop it." Jaden held one of his flails in front of him in an intimidating fashion. "I don't like where you are going with this, so cut it out!"

"Don't let your emotions get the better of you," Glitch spoke from the sidelines. "You're still in the middle of a battle."

"Try to calm down, Jaden. She wants you to get riled up." Even with his own effort to settle his friend down, Kota could see that Jaden wasn't listening.

"You took advantage of my sorrow and made me trust you."

"Made you?" The flail that Jaden held out wavered as her words sunk into him. He was eventually shaking to the point where he had to lower his arm. "It was your choice whether or not we kept seeing each other."

"No." Akina had a look of regret on her face as she shook her head. "I was so distraught that I couldn't refuse your kind words. At first, I wanted to avoid you because I thought you had the wrong idea..." With closed eyes, a sad smile stretched across her face. "But then I saw how pitiful of a person you really are."

"Huh?" Kota watched as Jaden was left speechless. He could fell the shocked silence weigh heavily over the arena, for even Glitch couldn't bring herself to speak out in hope to readjust his focus.

"I suddenly felt obliged to look over your worthless ass because you were just as alone and hopeless as I was. Did you think that I was really interested in hanging out with the heir to the bank that has been ruining my family? I did it to get one over you, idiot."

"I... That can't..." Jaden barely choked out those words as the revelation hit him like a ton of bricks. He almost looked the part of a broken man with his head bowed and the hurt that could be seen in his eyes.

"Jaden?"

"Attack Incoming! Look out-" Before Kota could console Jaden, Glitch yelled out with great urgency. Just as the cyan-haired boy comprehended her words, another wave of glass shards rained over the pair of Persona-users. Without preparing for the hit, the wind was knocked out of Kota as he was thrown across the battlefield as though he was completely weightless. Hitting the ground hard, the Wildcard kept his tight hold of his trusty sword with his entire body flattened by heavy damage and near-crippling exhaustion. Still, the cyan-haired boy hadn't reached his limit quite yet.

"Dante!" Kota yelled as the Persona materialised above its master. The stern, driven look on Dante's face could not have been further from mirroring Kota's, who expressed the intense pain he felt as he got himself off the floor. "Try going for the other one."

The one-eyed warrior wordlessly obliged by casting another Zio attack. The moment the lightning hit the winged imp, however, a mind-numbing pain felt as though it was bouncing around the confines of his skull. His vision blurred, the boy lost his balance and fell to his knee. After Dante exploded into blue shards, Kota could feel the foul breath from the beast Shadow as he could make out a large paw raised above its head.

Yet the blow was not able to be dealt. Another figure that looked to be holding a pole-like weapon rushed in and impaled the unnatural creature through its chest. With a brief struggle, Kota's saviour swung their weapon to the side in order to throw the enemy to the side. With that small window of time, the large figure swiftly grabbed Kota with one arm and dashed away from any potential retaliation from the Shadow.

Now being held close to the one who intervened, Kota was able to make out the worn dark material of their cloak.

"Glitch?"

"Fighting without acknowledging your own limits is suicide. You should have known better." Kota was harshly dropped to the ground upon being brought out the Shadows' reach. Sitting upright, he felt a small object drop on his lap. "Eat it."

Dazed, Kota could barely feel the chocolate wrapper in his fingers as he took hold of it. He tore through the paper packaging with some difficulty and took a bit of solid treat. Luckily, it didn't take look before his vision started to clear once he had taken only one bite.

Thanks to Glitch, Kota found himself next to the fencing that closed off the arena, away from the Shadows he was previously fighting. The cloak-clad ally took her position between him and the enemy while she readied her dual naginata in case the Shadows had decided to pursue them. Yet, they seemed to be occupied by something else.

"You're not capable of fighting these Shadows. We need to get out of here."

"Huh?" Using the chain link fencing to assist him, he stood up to find that, on the other side of the arena, Jaden was still laying face first on the ground with both Shadow looming over him. "What about Jaden? We're not going to leave him!" Kota made a move towards his friend but he the fatigue made him too slow to get past Glitch, who took a firm grasp of the boy's shoulder before he could get away.

"He's out of reach. We'll be throwing our lives away if we get anywhere near him."

"But-" While he didn't want to admit it, the Wild Card didn't have the strength to argue with Glitch, let alone calling his Persona to fight with him.

Kota cursed his weakness as he watched the Shadows set upon Jaden. Glitch may have been right about him not being strong enough but if he ran, he would be throwing the lives of both of his friends away. If he did that, how would he be able to live with himself?


	8. Through Gusts and Flames

**Chapter 8: Tuesday 16th April**

Whack!

With another physical blow from the claw of the large-tongued Shadow, Jaden was sent crashing into the chain-linked fence that kept him trapped with the murderous creatures. As he lay there, the boy let off a faint blue glow before fragments of the colour peeled off him like paper and drifted upwards into the air before evaporating into thin air.

Kota didn't need to be told that that was the last of his Persona's protection leaving him. The next attack to hit him was certain to be fatal.

"We have to go, now." While in shock from watching the treatment his partner was receiving, Kota felt Glitch tighten her grip on his shoulder. "It may be too late to save them, but you can still get back to the surface." Still, the boy didn't show any intention of moving and continued to watch Jaden with his heart filled with conflicting emotions.

Thankfully, the Shadows halted their assault on the now-defenceless schoolboy, but not out of mercy. Akina walked pass the two monstrosities, head down with a grim look on her face. As she stood over her friend with the eyes of the entire room on them, the only noise that was being made was the crude snarls and gargling from the large-tongued beast Shadow.

"I've been putting up with that moronic face of yours for long enough," Akina spoke darkly without the slightest hint of remorse. "Do you have anything more to say before I end your existence?"

Even in his near-death state, Jaden drew the last of his strength to lift his chest off the ground. The hurt clear in his eyes, he turned to Akina and looked her in her uncaring red eyes.

"I'm… sorry."

While there was barely any volume in Jaden's words, it had the impact of a speeding semi-truck. Akina didn't move an inch as her eyes remained fixated on Jaden's, which silently conveyed the raw emotions that were stirring within him.

"Are you just going to stand here and let your friend die for nothing!? We've got to move!" Glitch's hand further tightened on Kota's shoulder, but she did nothing more than that. Despite her words, Kota knew that she was just as conflicted as he was.

Jaden eventually became totally spent and his head collapsed on the dusty surface of the arena. Almost as though a spell over her had been lifted, Akina blinked the moment Jaden's face fell out her sight. Strangely, the ominous aura that clung to her throughout the time Kota had been there felt as though it had been lessened slightly.

"Well… I pray that I won't have to see you on the other side."

His mind still spinning, Kota rushed to think of anything… anything at all that he could do to stop the next attack.

The Wild Card ability... How would the bond he had with Jaden even help him here?

Kota thought hard to recall what the voice told him in Chagall Cafe said when the bond with Jaden was first formed.

 _It bridges the gap towards humanity's true fate…_

 _Thou shalt be blessed with a Persona of the Sun Arcana…_

It was only then that deep in his soul, Kota could sense another source of strength aside from what he felt from Dante. A power that Jaden had gifted him through the bond that they shared.

Another Persona!

"I can handle this." Kota shrugged Glitch's hand off and ran a few paces towards the enemies before she could protest.

"Dante, return!" The familiar coin appeared in front of him and was gracefully twirling before his eyes. The new coin was identical to the one that Jaden used to summon Mercury, with the design of a smiling sun staring back at Kota.

"Protect us! Phoenix!" Without any wasted motion, Kota snatched the coin out of the air. Kota felt the comforting warmth of the flames radiate from within as a scorching figure appeared above him. With a ferocious caw, the mythical bird outstretched its scorching wings

"Two Personas…" Glitch exclaimed quietly to herself. She had some concept of the workings of Personas, but she never thought that anyone could have any more than one.

At that moment, the shards hovering around the Shadow rapidly accelerated on course for the grounded teen.

" **Ice Wall!** "

Moments before the wave of glass could reach its intended destination, a clear pale-blue barrier circled around Jaden. The shards instantly dissolved as soon as it touched the protective shield.

" **Twin Shot!** "

With a sharp flap of Phoenix's wings, a large feather-like dart shot out from each wing. The first feather pierced the lion Shadow through its chest while the second stuck the centre of the exposed backside of the Imp's mirror between the reforming glass shards. The blow was enough to force a horizontal split through the backing, effectively destroying its deadliest weapon.

"What's with these cheap tricks?!" Kota could feel the daggers shooting from Akina's eyes as they mercilessly bore into him. "You're starting to be more of a pain then I thought you would."

"Hang in there for just a little longer, Akina." While not fully recovered, the Wildcard was able to stand tall with his new-found strength. "I'm going to make sure that we are all walking out of here together. Count on it!" Just for a second, Kota swore that Akina's angry glare lost its intensity. Even with all of her pent-up frustration and a desire to get even with Jaden he could feel that she was struggling, fighting herself, behind her rage.

"Damn pest… Go! Squash him like the insect he is!"

* * *

When Jaden's eyes dropped from Akina's, he had accepted that he was about to die. Teetering between consciousness and unconsciousness, Jaden felt that all he could do was reflect on what he just went through. The shame and sadness he felt for saving Akina overwhelmed him for a while, but his mind eventually wandered to what she told him partway through their fight.

 _Pitiful huh...? Honestly, I can't blame her if that really is how she saw me. I guess I always knew I was a bit like that... deep down._

To be honest, Jaden couldn't bring himself to fight after hearing what his friend really thought about him. In a way, he was okay with dying. It just sucked that he wasn't going to be the only one.

Covered in dirt, Jaden awaited the final attack that he was powerless to avoid. With his ears strained, he could hear the whizzing of thin, sharp projectiles making a beeline right at him. But when the sounds suddenly disappeared after subsequent shattering noises, he didn't feel any pain. In two minds about whether he was already dead, he opened his eyes to a blurred image of a person standing before a flaming bird.

 _Kota... He saw the worst side of me, didn't he? I wonder if he takes pity on me for that._

His vision had cleared up somewhat before the sword-wielding ally was forced into battle once again with the remaining Shadows. Kota's actions diverted their attention onto himself, keeping Jaden safe for the time being.

 _No... Why would he risk his life for someone as lowly as me...? Not just once either._

 _It's because... he's a friend. A true friend._

The realisation not only moved Jaden, but it felt like a switch had been flicked on inside of him. Meaningful friendships have been alien to him, so seeing someone put themselves in a perilous position for his sake made him want to do the same.

 _I told her… that she could count on me. I promised her… even if she doesn't see things the same way I do… I need to show her that I'm willing to see that promise through no matter what. I mean… what kind of friend would break a promise like that?_

* * *

With the mirror-less imp becoming more active in the battle, Kota could see that it was every bit as strong as the mecha he fought not so long ago. With both Shadows constantly launching their attacks from a distance, the Wildcard was forced on the defence after his initial attack. What's worse was that the burst of energy he received after summoning Phoenix was running on empty. All that he felt that he could do is hang in there and hope for some sort of opening.

But, due to his eagerness to end the battle and his building fatigue, Kota made a reckless move towards his enemies. After narrowly sidestepping a shard-like projectile that was homing onto his chest, the Wild Card was caught flat-footed when he noticed the Beast-like Shadow leap towards him, holding out its large claws with the intent to tear right through him. Startled by the sudden approach, Kota knew he couldn't move in time as he smelt the foul smell coming out of the creature's gaping mouth.

" **Agi!** " A familiar-looking fireball was fired from outside of his vision and blind-sided the Shadow mid-attack. With the flame hitting the snarling Shadow in its neck at great velocity, the beast spun in the air and sailed over Kota's head. The person responsible for the intervention yelled out in celebration.

"Yeah! Eat it, you no-faced freak!" Kota turned to the direction of where the attack where the attack was fired from and relieved to see his saviour on his feet.

"Jaden!" The boy let out a confident smile, sharply contracting his pale face and torn clothing that he received from his earlier beating. "What are you doing? You're in no shape to keep fighting!"

"You're one to talk." The oily-haired imp took the opportunity to let off a cluster of ice shards with another shriek, but they weren't fast enough to prevent the pair from sidestepping the oncoming threat.

"I'm fine. You should get back to Glitch while I hold them off." With an amused smirk, Jaden made a swift horizontal motion with his arm over the ground in front of him. Mercury followed the blonde's order almost instantly, erupting a wall of fire between them and the Shadows. The sounds of sizzling from the firewall indicated that more ice attacks were being thrown at the Persona-users, but the intense heat was enough to melt the threats before it reached them.

"Sorry mate, I can't do that." Jaden suddenly looked more solemn as he faced the tall flames in front of him. "If I were to run now, I'd break my promise." Seeing the determination in his friend's eyes, Kota felt bad for trying to turn him away. While Kota has only known Akina for a little more than a week, Jaden has been her friend for more than a year. Kota couldn't help but feel a little envious of how much longer the two of them has known each other for.

"Listen, I've got one good attack left in me. When I use it, you get in close and finish them off." With his focus restored after a brief trance, Kota looked at his friend with concern. On top of how he looked after being tossed around by the enemies, beads of sweat started to form on his head due to the effort he was using to keep the defensive wall from burning out.

"Are you sure you can do it?" Jaden simply smiled.

"Only one way to find out! Persona!" Mercury appeared behind his summoner in kneeling position, holding both maces close to his chest while keeping his head bowed. Clasping the handle and chain of his own weapons, Jaden got down on one knee to mimic his Persona.

"Ignite the sky and scorch our enemies…" Mumbling his words as though he was praying to a higher being, Kota noticed jet-black clouds materialise over the arena, as icy attacks continued to batter the protective flame barrier.

" **Magma Shower!** " Jaden threw his arms wide and looked up into the sky with his cry as Mercury lifted a mace straight up into the air. The ground shook slightly with a rumbling sound as a flurry of fiery rocks punched through the dark clouds and bombarded the other side of the flaming wall, seemingly at random. The sounds of the assault on the flaming wall had stopped, but only to be replaced by...

"Ahh!" With devastating meteors falling around her, Akina was unintentionally left at the mercy of the destructive attack. The realisation hit the two friends with overwhelming panic.

"Crap!" Jaden exclaimed, surprised by the uncontrollable devastation that his attack caused. "I need to… make sure Akina… will be…" He got back on his feet with obvious difficulty, his sweat-drenched face and absent eyes giving away the amount of strain the ordeal has put on him.

"You've done enough, Jaden. I'll go get her."

"No!" Jaden looked at Kota, his fists clutched tightly due to the stress he was putting on himself. "You need to cover me…" Jaden took off through thefire wall without another wasted moment, immediately forcing the flames to cease on contact.

* * *

"Wait!" Ignoring his classmate's plead for caution, Jaden blindly charged towards his distressed friend. By his own admission, the half-Japanese student had no clear plan on how he would be able to protect Akina from the heavy bombardment. Still, he knew that there was no way she would survive by herself. Without being able to rely on his Persona, Jaden felt that he had no choice but to put himself in danger for her sake. Even if that act of stupidity was going to cost him his life, he knew that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he were to stand by and watch.

"Hey, look out!" Kota's warning pulled Jaden focus back to where he was heading. Running into the open and making himself vulnerable, the gargling Shadow stood in the way of the blonde and bowed down in preparation for an attack. Jaden was barely able to comprehend the large-tongued beast before him before it pounced at him. Right as Jaden believed that he wouldn't be taking another step, the Shadow was miraculously snagged in the air by a smoking boulder, causing it let out and choking cry.

Spurred by pure instinct, Jaden dove to the ground before the nearby rock could explode into hundreds of smaller fragments upon impact with the ground. With the protection of his Persona powers, Jaden got up with only a minuscule amount of damage and sped past the bubbling black liquid that oozed from beneath the remains of the meteor.

Looking further ahead, Jaden could see Akina covering her face with her arms as though she was rooted to the spot in fear. If she was bent on ending her own life moments ago, that desire seemed to have been tossed aside when the flaming rocks started to fall.

"Hang in there, Akina!" Not sparing even a slither of his energy, Jaden continued to race toward his classmate. His words seemed to have made an impact on the white-haired girl, causing her to seize her trembling upon hearing his voice. Just as Jaden thought that he was going to make it to the beanie-clad girl without further incident, he noticed a large shadow being cast over him and Akina. The darkness around them grew as he smelt the burning missile quickly approaching the pair.

The thought of failing to reach Akina in time, the fear of death looming over him in what could be his final moments. Jaden cast all those unnecessary thoughts aside and lunged forward as he felt the heat from the falling boulder start to burn the back of his neck.

From there, things happened so quickly that Jaden was barely able to take in what happened. The meteor cleared the blonde's head by no more than a metre before it crashed into the area where Jaden was just moments ago. The shockwave that the impact caused propelled the boy forward, cannoning him into the scared girl and knocking them both to the ground.

The two remained grounded, keeping completely still as the last of the flaming missiles landed around them. Having lost his perception after he was hit in the back, Jaden's eyes shot open as he started to breathe again. Through the ringing of his ears, the sharp pain in his back started to flare up as the half-Brit's senses returned to him. While the pieces of rock embedded in his back weren't welcomed, he also felt a more pleasant feeling close to his chest.

Looking down, Jaden saw Akina underneath him, her face still hidden beneath her forearms. Without realising, Jaden had wrapped his arm around her when he was thrown forward. Lifting himself off of her small body, the blonde was relieved to see that his classmate had sustained no noticeable damage from the fall. Still feeling the cuts on his back, Jaden knew that she could have been much worse off if he wasn't there to shield her.

Almost like she was waking from a deep sleep, Akina let a small moan as her arms dropped to her sides. Jaden was still positioned over her when the girl slowly opened her bright red eyes.

"Jaden…?" Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Jaden rolled off of Akina only to land on his bloodied back. The blonde yelled out of pain due to the contact that his wounds made to the ground. Luckily for him though, his classmate was only semi-conscious, allowing him to avoid an awkward moment with her.

"Hey… are you okay?" Staring up at the darkness above the arena like his friend, Jaden started to feel a bit of warmth rush to his face.

"Huh?" Akina seemed spaced out and confused as though she was holding in a storm of conflicting emotions. "I… really don't know." While not entirely comforting, it did sound as though the grip that the Despair had over her had greatly lessened.

"Listen, about what you were saying before…"

A shirk pierced Jaden's eardrums before he could continue, causing him to realise that the fight hadn't finished yet. Directing his attention to the source of the unbearable sound, he saw the Despair hovering in the air not too far from him. The imp looked battered after the bombarding that Jaden cast, but its beady eyes were bearing down over the two students with murderous intent.

"Damn it…" Tired and unable to get himself back on his feet, Jaden laid helplessly as the Shadow moved towards him.

* * *

"Dante!" Seeing the enemy lash out at the downed students, Kota's outstretched arm caused a small, yet powerful, vortex to materialise beneath the imp. The Shadow was left helpless as the spiral forced it to remain in place as it struggled to flap above the ground with its wings. As Kota drew all of his energy into his final attack, he could feel his hair and clothing stir as gusts of wind started to blow within the arena.

"Grant me the strength to protect those that I hold dear." The breeze felt as though it was tightened around him, making him feel lighter, faster and more energised. Readying his sword, Kota's Persona appeared behind him with his arm raised across his body.

With a giant pushing motion from the one-eyed swordsman, Kota was shot forward by the air that moved under his feet. The rapid acceleration as he moved made Kota feel like he was soaring over an icy surface. Propelled by the winds cast by Dante, the Wild Card closed in on his target as the monstrous imp could do nothing but wait for their destruction.

" **Raising Geyser!** "

Just as the blade of Kota's sword passed beneath the Shadow, the vortex shot out an intense upward blast, rocketing the sword through the underside of the enemy and launching both fighters into the air. Through the sound of the imp's painful screech, Kota twisted himself in the air and followed up his attack with a powerful horizontal slash across the creature's frail body.

The second attack shut Akina's Despair up before drifting further into the air and started to decay from the two heavy wounds on its body. By the time Kota's feet hit the ground, the troublesome Shadow had been broken up into dark smudgy particles that continued to wither away until it entirely dissolved into nothing.

After seeing the final Shadow perish before his eyes, Kota's sword suddenly felt heavy in his hands. Silently recalling his weapon, the Wildcard looked over at his classmates.

"How's Akina?!" With a somewhat sheepish grin, Jaden gave a thumbs up in response.

"Not a scratch on her." He then looked down at his own bruised body and worn outfit. "I really gave it everything I had and you still showed me up." Jaden looked back at Kota with a brighter smile. "You really are amazing."

"That doesn't matter as long as everyone got through this alright."

"Yeah… you're right." Jaden slowly brought himself up on all fours. "I'm feeling a little light-headed right now. Go ahead and see if Akina is ready to head off." Understanding of the amount of punishment that Jaden took, Kota left him to rest and kneeled over the girl.

"Hey, Akina, it's about time that we got out of here." She hadn't moved since Jaden pushed her out the way of the meteor and still had that vacant look in her eyes.

"You want me to go back?" Kota thought that he could see her eyes get teary for a moment, but she held her eyes closed before he could get a good look. "I can't." The blue-haired teen was unsure of what he could say as Akina lifted herself onto her knees, keeping her head bowed. "Just look at me. With the way I look, I'd just be a bother to everyone."

"That's not true!" Kota tensed up and was visibly upset hearing Akina speaking so badly about herself. "Whatever Jaden and I can do to help, we'll be there to support you."

"I want to believe you…"

"Trust me, I know how you're feeling." The pale-skinned girl flinched when she heard her long-time classmate's voice. While Kota wasn't taking notice, Jaden had moved into a crouching position. "You're afraid of being hurt by us, aren't you?" He spoke in an understanding a sombre manner that appeared to break through Akina's stubborn defences as she looked up at him. The boy continued in an almost hushed tone.

"It was only four days ago when I went through the same thing you just did. At the time, I thought that it would be better to disappear from the world before you two of you had the chance to cut me off from your lives." Jaden then clasped at his denim jeans at the knee and nervously darted his eyes away from her. "I'm not sure if you meant it or not, but when you told me that you befriended me because of who my parents were… it cut me pretty deep."

"N-No! I didn't mean-!" Akina cut off her own lively outburst as though she had run out of words, but Jaden just shook his head, not looking for an explanation.

"The point is that you're not the only one who's scared of what people think of you, especially the ones you consider to be your friends. I know that I may not come across as the most considerate person, but I worry about you. Kota too."

"Really?" Akina's eyes widened as she took in every one of Jaden's words. "But when you pulled Isarota aside the other day, I was afraid that…"

"We, no… I screwed up. I should have trusted you enough to tell you what happened that Saturday. For me to lead Kota into telling you about this place well after we knew about it wasn't fair on you. The misunderstanding was all my fault."

"Jaden…" Kota felt that his friend was being hard on himself by taking all the blame, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

"You know… while we were talking among ourselves, Kota said that he thought that you looked cute. So no more complaining about your looks, okay?" Jaden cracked a smile as he waited for Akina's response with interest.

"H-He does…?" Flustered, she looked up Kota in a heartbeat. When Kota shyly averted his eyes from her Akina looked back at Jaden, annoyed. "Is… that… c-cut it out with your dumb jokes!"

"Actually…" Having been backed into a corner, Kota interjected and got the small girl's attention. "I think you look… better than fine."

"O-Oh…" Sneaking a look at the beanie-wearing girl, Kota could see her looking absently at the ground in front of her, her face glowing red with the blood rushing to her face.

"Hey, you remember what I told you back when we first spoke right? The same now goes for Kota as well." With slight discomfort, Jaden got to his feet beside Kota and held a hand out to Akina. "Count on us." Looking up at her two classmates, a single tear snuck from her eye and moved down her face.

"I-I'd like that more than anything!" The albino smiled pleasantly, sending warmth through Kota's tired body as she grabbed Jaden's hand.

Upon reaching her feet, Akina was enveloped in a calming blue light. A transparent feminine figure appeared beside the girl, carrying an enormous mechanical rifle that was almost as large as her on her back. As more details started to materialise, Kota noticed the woman's silver hair spanning the being's entire height, being contained in a long braided ponytail. A crimson blazer was tightly fitted with her pristine white shirt. Her clothing was completed with white pants and polished brown knee-high boots.

The maiden's face was partially hidden by her gold crescent mask that covered her forehead and left side of her face, running down her left cheek. The mask was fitted with multiple lenses that were layered over her right eye while her left eye had a red glow from behind the mask, matching the colour of her lips. Like the girl she was born from, the Persona's striking eyes contrasted to her fair skin and gentle facial features.

"Daena..."

After being acknowledged by her master, the Persona disappeared along with the light that was shining around Akina. Suddenly, the girl collapsed forward into the arms of her classmates as though she had lost her consciousness again.

"Akina!" The panic was obvious in Jaden's voice as he witnessed her passing out. "What happened to her? I thought that saved her!"

"Calm yourselves." Watching the entire thing unfold in front of her, the briefly forgotten denizen of the Subex stepped forward. "She'll be safe as long as we get her back to her silhouette."

"Silhouette?" Kota repeated. "You mean like the outlines of us that we enter to get back to the surface?"

"Exactly that. The Shadows should all be docile now that there's no Despair to agitate them, so getting her there shouldn't be a problem." Jaden let out an almighty sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear. I feel like I can barely walk, let alone fight."

"Then allow me to carry her to the exit." Jaden looked her sceptically for a flickering moment, but his exhaustion prevented him from resisting her offer. With her abnormally large frame, Glitch had no problem holding the petite high school student in her arms.

Finally able to leave the dusty arena, the trio trekked through the hall of broken mirrors once more. having memorised the route that was taken to reach Akina, Glitch led the way. She made sure to maintain a considerate pace for the two battle-weary companions as started their travels in silence. Oddly enough, it was Glitch who uttered the first word since they started walking.

"Hey, Blondy."

"I have a name, you know," Jaden replied tiredly.

"I… apologise for not trusting in your abilities when you got here. You did well."

"Heh… It's fine." While his words seemed dismissive, Kota got the sense that he appreciated the apology more than he was willing to admit. "I'm no 'Kota Isarota' when it comes to fighting, but I'm just glad I could keep Akina from any more harm." Having been brought up by his half-Brit friend, Kota couldn't help ask him something that had bothered him.

"When on Earth did I tell you that I thought that Akina was… cute?" Noticing the struggle in verbalising the Wild Card's last word, Jaden gave an amused smile.

"You didn't, but you do think of her that way, right?"

"Well… y-yeah, but-" Kota had to forcefully shut his mouth the stop himself from spluttering any further.

"Ha! Looks like I found your type!" Jaden looked proud of himself as he made the discovery. "You're into the cute, sensitive girls who are as hardworking as they are stubborn. Not bad, my man."

"Akina is going to be kicking you for a whole week if that ever gets back to her." Embarrassed, the teenager realised that he had to change the subject. "Was it really okay to lie like that?"

"While his methods were… questionable, it was successful in putting your friend in a fully unconscious state. There's no knowing what would happen if she couldn't be subdued." Glitch stated, sounding far from impressed.

"Exactly! Solving problems through matchmaking is what I do best."

"I'm not sure if that's true," said Kota, annoyed that Jaden was effectively praised for pushing him into an awkward situation with Akina. "Would real matchmakers rely on drinking pricey coffee to win girls over?"

"Hey! Don't speak ill of the Pheromone Coffee!" Jaden exclaim defensively. "Just wait and see. By the time we reach the end of my program, we'll be forced to beat those girls off with a stick." Less than impressed with that last statement, Glitch turned her head and shot a glare at the flail-wielder.

"You guys aren't assaulting women during your free time, are you?"

"God no!" Jaden was wide-eyed and clearly intimidated by Glitch's gaze. "Were you born last week? It's a figure of speech! Everyone knows that."

"I'm not familiar with it." Kota deadpanned, trying to distance himself from Jaden's 'matchmaking methods'.

"Kota, come on! You're painting me like some sort of sadist. I'm sorry that I put you on the spot like that, but you can't do this to me!"

The lively banter proved to make the return trip feel shorter than it actually was as the party exited the run-down dungeon before they knew it.

* * *

Atop of a large building bearing a giant, rusted gear embedded through the rooftop, a figure wearing a green military cloak was perched over the Subex. For hours, the figure watched over the bland and barren landscape surrounding the portal that other Persona-users entered earlier. Like a hawk, the boy kept his unwavering focus over the red-and-black spiral pattern, his eyes almost unblinking beneath the peak of the black baseball cap he wore.

It wasn't until the figure had started to believe that the rescue had failed when the portal lit up. Knowing that it was a sign that something was coming, he held out his hand and a specially crafted set of binoculars made largely out of scrap metal popped into his palm. Bringing the lens to his eyes, he was able to see the three-person group step out with the unconscious target in the largest one's arms. If the duration of their stay and the tired looks on the two students' faces were anything to go by, they had some trouble recovering the girl.

The group spent little time gathered around the portal before heading East towards where the girl's body was being kept. Seeing enough to believe that the school students will be safe, the onlooker conjured another weary-looking device in the form of a radio and brought it towards his mouth.

"The diver has been retrieved. No casualties dealt to the rescuing party."

With those brief words, his job was done. He didn't know who was receiving the message or what interest they have over the status of the school students, but those questions weren't concerning him for the time being.

Keeping the binoculars to his eyes, he focused squarely on the blue-haired boy with the odd haircut. He didn't seem to be as much of a pushover as his partner, though it wasn't his potential strength that caught his interest. He felt an unusual sense of familiarity when he observed the boy, even if this was the first time he recalled seeing him.

"So many questions…" Irritated, the lone figure lowered his binoculars and allowed his equipment to vanish again. He kept an eye on the distant figures for a brief moment before dashing from building top to building top, quickly making his way towards the extraction point.

* * *

 **Friday 19th April**

"7:51…" Kota stood alone at the front of his dormitory building. With his schoolbag in one hand and his phone in the other, he knew that he would struggle to get to school on time if he continued to wait around. Yet he waited there, like he did yesterday and the day before, just in case Akina was walking by the dormitory on the way to the station.

Ideally, Kota would have sent her a text asking when Akina would be back at school so he wouldn't need to worry about missing her, but both he and Jaden felt that it would be best to give Akina all the space and time she could want in order to recover from her coma and comprehend what happened inside the twisted house of mirrors. Aside from a brief message of support through text, Kota hadn't contacted her since the fight.

As another minute ticked by while Kota kept stared at the phone, he internally debated whether waiting was worth the risk of being tardy for the second time in the same week. Eventually, he felt that he couldn't wait any longer and slipped the device back into his pocket.

"Isarota!" Within a couple of steps, Kota heard that reassuring voice he was hoping to hear for days. Holding a large plastic container, Akina ran from up the street until she reached the dormitory's doorstep. Short on breath, the red-eyed girl composed herself before giving Kota an apologetic look. "I should have let you know I was coming, huh?" Smiling, the boy shook his head.

"I don't mind. How have you been feeling?" Thankfully, the three-day rest Akina had appeared to have done her good as there was no sign of stress or tiredness on the young girl's face.

"I'm fine, but..." Akina averted her eyes from his briefly as she clutched the container more tightly, "...I needed the time take in what happened, you know? At first, I thought that it was a messed-up dream." Kota could see her eyes getting tearful as she thought about the events that unfolded earlier that week. "K-Kota, I'm sorry about the way that I treated you when you went there to wake me up." She bowed her head to show her remorse. "If you want to have nothing to do with me after all that, I totally understand."

"Akina..." Speaking firmly, Kota put his hand on her slender shoulder reassuringly. "What happened in that place won't change the way I think of you. You were influenced by that other place, so it wouldn't be fair if I stopped seeing you because of that."

"Are you... sure?" Letting the confirmation of Kota's silence sink in, Akina rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her blazer and looked the cyan-haired boy in the face. "What about Jaden? I was pretty hard on him, making those dumb accusations."

"He was in a bit of shock after we got back, but I'm certain that he would want to see you again."

"That's good." Kota dropped his hand from her side and Akina's eyes lit up as though she remembered something. "Here," she said as she held out the circular container for Kota, "I figured that you'll need this before we reach the school." Not having a clue what he would be forgetting, the Wild Card opened the lid to see what was inside.

Before seeing anything, Kota's nose was hit with a pleasant aroma the moment that the air escaped its previously enclosed space. The sweet smell made his mouth water as he looked down at the simple but well-made chocolate mud cake. After being transfixed by the tempting treat for some time, the importance of the cake only then occurred to him.

"How did you know that I owed Ms Toriumi a cake?" Kota closed the lid of the container as Akina let out a pleased grin.

"Jaden told me through the message he sent. It was really my fault you were late that morning so I baked one for you."

"You... made this for me?" The thought that anyone would go through so much effort so soon after facing a near-death experience made him happy. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't bother. It's the least I could do after you stuck your neck out for me."

For quite some time, the two students stood by one another, not showing any intention to make a move. While neither of them had anything left to say, they were just happy to be able to enjoy each other's company and remain oblivious to the time that passed.

"Crud! What are we doing? At this rate, we're going to miss the train." Without a wasted motion, Akina slipped her hand onto Kota's and clasped it. "Come on!" The beanie-clad girl pulled on the boy's arm, but he didn't move. "Kota!"

While a lot of things ran through his mind, Kota wasn't sure why exactly he didn't want to run for the train. Perhaps he thought that running now would be pointless as they wouldn't make it, or maybe he was worried about Akina getting stressed after she just recovered. Regardless, he had no desire to run to school and preferred to take his time.

"Why don't we just take it easy for today?" Akina's confusion was written all over her face, but she kept quiet as she let Kota explain. "It would be nice to be able to talk on the way to school for once instead of worrying about the time. Besides, we have some insurance for when we show up late, thanks to your cake."

"That's not going to be enough to cover both of us!" Despite voicing her disagreement, Kota could tell that she didn't want to argue with him from the lack of intensity that would have otherwise been in her eyes. "Fine... but you'll be making your own cake if this doesn't work."

Without further discussion, they walked towards the station at a leisurely pace. It wasn't until then when Kota realised how lucky he was to have everyone survive such a dangerous ordeal, and with it came the strong resolve to not only work hard for himself but for Jaden, Akina and anyone else he may cross paths with. At that moment, even the most minor details from the sound of the birds to the light breeze that flowed through the streets felt as though they were worth treasuring.

"Uh... Kota..." The teenaged boy felt Akina's hand fidget within his fingers. "I don't what to offend you or anything, but c-could we maybe walk... without holding hands." The pale girl's face started to light up in a shade of red as she attempted to hide it discreetly by turning her head away. "It will be embarrassing if someone we knew saw us like this."

"Oh!" Their hands were quickly brought away from each other and Kota could feel the pleasant heat disperse with it. "I'm sorry, I sort of spaced out for a moment." With her face out of sight, he heard the girl sigh before muffling a giggle with her hand. "What is it?"

"You almost daydream as much as Jaden." Seemingly in good spirits, Akina faced him again. "It's a good thing one of us was paying attention, otherwise people would think that the new kid had already found himself a girlfriend." She let out a laugh that somehow felt… off. "How bad would that be if everyone thought that you would date me, huh?"

"That wouldn't be a bad thing." Akina looked at him in a stunned silence and Kota immediately wanted to bite his tongue. For the second time in the space of a few minutes, he acted without thinking and put himself in an awkward situation. "I mean... I realise that you don't think that highly of yourself, but... I meant it when I told you that you looked... cute." Having to repeat that word to her made Kota felt as though he was going to pass out from embarrassment.

"Kota..." After a moment of looking unwaveringly at one another, Akina looked down at her feet, nervously. "If you really want to, maybe we can hold hands on the way home when no-one's watching."

"W-wait! That wasn't what I meant!" The tables had turned on Kota an instant as he felt his own face burn up at the thought. Seeing the girl laugh at his flustered response didn't help him relax in the slightest.

"I'm only teasing!" Akina playfully slapped her classmate on the arm. "As fun as this all is, we should keep walking otherwise we'll never reach the school." Happy with moving on from the brief moment of embarrassment, Kota composed himself and gave a curt nod.

"Right." With that, the two continued on their way towards the school. Save for the infrequent amount of small talk, the pair moved in relative silence. After several days of worrying about his friend's condition, Kota was just happy to have Akina's presence as he walked through Iwatodai.

And it may have been Kota's imagination, but he felt as though she was walking a little closer to him than usual as they headed towards the station.

 _Thou art I… And I am thou…_

 _Thou hast established a new bond…_

 _It helps bridges the gap towards humanity's true fate…_

 _Thou shalt be blessed with a Persona of the Moon Arcana…_

* * *

As the sun shone at its brightest over the Gekkoukan school building, the bell sounded to signal the beginning of the lunch period. As with every other sunny day, most students were quick to leave the classroom for either the courtyard or the cafeteria, but for Kota and Akina, something else was at the forefront of their minds.

"Hey..." Particularly quiet for the duration of the day, Jaden approached Akina's desk. He looked bothered, the harsh words thrown around in the circus arena clearly playing on his mind. "You guys don't mind if we go out for a bit, right?"

"Sure…" Jaden's nervous invitation didn't inspire confidence in Akina, but she forced a small smile from herself. "Lead the way." Kota considered abstaining from the serious talk the two were sure to have before Jaden's eyes made their way over to him. Kota could tell from his firm gaze that Jaden wanted him to join them. Without another word, the three left the classroom empty-handed.

Rather than go to a popular eating spot, like the courtyard or the benched area adjacent to the baseball pitch, Jaden took his classmates to the front of the school. Upon reaching the steps, the blonde sat down and looked out to the gate at the end of the straight pathway.

Sitting alongside Akina, Kota watched the serene view ahead of him. The rows cherry blossoms lining the pavement were in full bloom and continued to gracefully drop their delicate pebbles around their roots. Save for a handful of small groups and couples that ate by some of the trees, the area was largely empty.

"Quite the contrast from how it looked when we first spoke, huh?"

"Listen, about-"

"I know you're sorry about the things you said, but you shouldn't apologise." Jaden interrupted, wanting to move the conversation along. The boy's hazel eyes never moved from the pleasant image before him as he continued to speak.

"You really got me thinking after I went home that night… about how we ended up holding so much ill feelings against each other." Jaden bowed his head as though he was still pondering over the thought. "It's kind of odd that I didn't really notice it until just recently." Jaden nervously cleared his throat as he struggled to find the right words during the seemingly long pregnant pause.

"I think we felt like that about each other because… what you said earlier… was actually true." The admission knocked the wind out Kota's lungs, surprised that what Akina said in the arena wasn't just a wild accusation. Akina, on the other hand, remained unmoved as though she already knew this.

"It really sucks to have to say it, but we became friends for all the wrong reasons. As much as I had always avoided that train of thought, I pushed myself into becoming your friend because… I was desperate. After the first day of my freshman year, I wasn't able to make a single friend. I was scared of spending my whole high school life without anyone to share it with…" Jaden gave off a long audible exhale as he took a break in his speech. "I'm sorry… I feel ashamed that that was who I was."

"So are you saying that this is it for us?" This time, it was Akina whose eyes refused to meet the one she was addressing. Even then, her sorrow was given away by the tone of her voice. "If that's what you're getting at, I understand."

"I wouldn't go that far. Sure I want to end that toxic relationship that we were in for a year now, but I'm not mad at you. In fact…" Jaden looked out into the distance and held his hand over his chest. "From this moment forward, we will be friends that exist only for the purpose of trusting and laughing with one another! Only then will friendship last until the end of time!" Jaden's melodramatic delivery did well to derail the depressing discussion that was being held earlier. Instead, his classmates stared at him dumbfounded.

"Geez, why do you have to be so corny about it?"

"Corny?" Akina let out a soft giggle as Jaden watched on with genuine hurt in his eyes. "I put so much thought into what I was going to say to you, and THAT'S all you have to say?"

"Well, it is, though I totally agree with starting things anew. We'll be friends for real for now on."

"Yep!" Jaden brightly beamed at her. "But you know what that means, right?" The blonde heartedly wrapped his arm around Kota's neck, pulling the transfer student towards him. "This guy's my longest standing best friend now! I'm sorry about your demotion." Akina raised an eyebrow at her friend quizzically.

"Oh yeah? Well, two can play that game!" Akina leaned forward to be able to see Kota around Jaden. "Hey, Kota, want to hang out at Paulownia Mall and get a bite to eat after school?" Unsure of why she was asking him this all of a sudden, Kota took the question literally.

"Err, sure. I don't have anything else on."

"Hey, Kota," Jaden piped up, "don't you want to go to Duck Burger later today? I'm shouting."

"Sorry, I already have plans this evening," Kota deadpanned.

"Dude!" Jaden released him as Akina burst out into uncontrollable laughter after witnessing Kota's blatant rejection. "You always have to put your bros first. ALWAYS!" Akina's laugh proved to be infectious as Kota joined in with one of his own. Finding the funny side, Jaden forced a chuckle and had that same bright grin that he had been starting to wear a lot more over the past week.

With the elephant in the room finally put to bed, the three second-year students moved on to more lively discussions. Everyone planned to meet up during their break on Sunday, but until then all talk regarding Personas and the Subex had to wait.

While this was far from what Kota was expecting, he couldn't say that his school life was awful. It has only been two weeks, but Kota felt that so long as he had Jaden and Akina with him, he could handle anything whether they be struggles with strenuous exams or murderous Shadows.

The remainder of their lunch break was spent on those steps - while they didn't get around to grabbing anything to eat, the three of them were genuinely as happy as they have been in a long time.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

With the opening "arc" completed, I'd like to take the time to thank all of you who have read the story up to this point particularly those who have chosen to favourite/follow this story. Works involving original characters don't typically get the recognition that some other stories on the site receives, so seeing you all reading through this story really means a lot to me. If you have anything you wish to share regarding the story, feel free to write me a review (or PM it to me if that's what you'd prefer).

I'd also like to thank **Sraosha** for being kind enough to agree on acting as a Beta Reader for this story. For those of you who don't know, Sraosha is the author of **Persona: Duality** and **Persona: Gnosis** , the latter being an ongoing work and both can be read on this site. If you're enjoying what you've read so far and in the mood for some more works similar to this, consider checking out those stories.

That's all from me right now, but I hope to see you in the next chapter!


	9. The Infamous Senpai Slayer

**Chapter 9: Sunday 21th April**

Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock

Kota felt a chill in the middle of his slumber as the ticking of clocks echoed around his surroundings. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the Velvet Room, once again with his familiar hosts. By this point, he was no longer surprised to see this place. The high school student's eyes zipped around the room, giving his surroundings a once over. Everything appeared to be just as he remembered it, until he looked up into the ocean of clock faces past the large pendulum swinging overhead.

There was only about four or five of them from what he could tell, but some of the clocks had stopped running, locked into the 12 o'clock position. Unlike the blue functioning clocks, they were of a crimson red colour and were broken into several large pieces as though a hammer had been brought down over it.

"I welcome your return, Pathfinder." Tearing Kota's attention from the clocks above the movie set, Igor voice lowered the boy's eyes to the pair seated across from him. "Your journey has been progressing remarkably well. You have saved another life from certain death and have crossed paths with those some reliable allies." Igor's grin grew ever so slightly as Elsa didn't dare to take her eyes off the Persona Compendium placed on her lap.

"But I don't feel like I've learnt anything." Somewhat embarrassed with what sounded like praise, Kota shrugged off the long-nosed man's words. He had gotten over Igor's strange appearance enough for him to not be distracted by it. "It just feels like I'm running into more problems, giving me questions rather than answers."

"That may be true, but those are the trials that must be overcome if you are to learn the truth to your purpose." Once again, Igor remained cryptic with his response to Kota's concerns, leading to the latter breathing out a sigh.

"What brings me here this time?"

"At a most crucial point in your most recent battle, you have begun to understand what makes your power unique to all others. It will be on Elsa, and myself, to ensure that you properly informed of its capabilities."

"Phoenix…" Kota was able to recall conjuring up a second coin to summon the flaming bird, turning the tide of battle in his favour. "I can summon other Personas aside from Dante."

"Precisely. It was a good thing you were able to recall what we discussed in our last meeting." Igor turned to the redhead to his left. "Now, Elsa, if you would kindly take over."

"Okay." While she was clearly timid in Kota's presence, Igor's assistant placed the compendium on the table before the pages came to life, all seamlessly turning from cover-to-cover until a small transparent image of Phoenix was flapping its wings over the open book. "The Persona, Phoenix of the Sun Arcana, is the representation of your bond with Jaden Gatogi. It shows off a strong desire to recreate himself anew from the person he was before meeting you. His flame is currently lively, yet still small. Without adequate support, the flame can be snuffed out, allowing the lonely darkness to swallow him up again." Kota looked on as Elsa spoke, absorbed with the Persona before her.

The pages started to turn again briefly until a second Persona sprung up from the compendium.

"Also, your bond with Akina Yonashi is represented by another Persona. Pairika of the Moon Arcana."

The Persona was a fairy-like creature with long dark hair obscuring her left eye from view. Her other eye, green like the colour of shining emeralds gazed at Kota while she hovered over the page. White feathered wings extended sidewards from her back. Her unremarkable brown rag-like dress was tattered in places, hanging over her milky-white skin.

"I sense some cautiousness… as though she is unsure whether or not open herself up to you. That said, her strong gaze indicates an incredible motivation. A drive to assist you wherever possible." Kota rose an eyebrow at Elsa. He couldn't see anything that she had just described, but Igor's assistant appeared certain of her observations.

"You can tell all that just by looking at those Personas?"

"…Yes." Elsa looked down at the bulky book as it closed itself shut. "I'm… just able to sense the feelings that created them. It isn't a big deal."

"I think that's really impressive. Learning about my Personas would be a huge help." In the past, Kota had been uneasy whenever he appeared in the Velvet Room so he never took the effort properly talk to the painfully shy girl. Through praising Elsa, he hoped that she would relax more whenever he visited. "I'm counting on you."

"O-Oh!" Elsa looked at Kota, surprised with the compliment before looking down at the floor by her feet. A nervous blush began to form on her cheeks as the cyan-haired boy managed to catch her lips forming a small smile. "I'm glad to have been of service…" Igor had an intrigued glint in his eye as he observed Elsa's reaction, but didn't comment on it. Instead, he went on to complete the lecture.

"For each bond you establish, you obtain a Persona that reflects that said bond. Naturally, if your bonds were to change, the matching Personas would also be affected. You will do well to make the most of this knowledge." The chiming of a distant bell sounded from the void as Igor drummed his fingers on the table in front of him, his eyes never straying from his guest. "And with that, your time with us has run out. The next time we meet, you will be doing so on your own accord."

* * *

"So that's how you were able to fight those things off, huh?" In the midst of the crowd of bustling shop-goers coming from all corners of Paulownia Mall, Akina and her classmates were able to rest on the edge of one of the mall's large indoor fountains. Even after multiple visits to the popular venue for students and adults alike, Kota always noted how clean and well-maintained the mall was as though it was newly constructed.

"I know it's hard to take in, but that's what happened while you were passed out," Jaden reassured her after he and Kota had spent that last 15 minutes recapping Tuesday's events over the chatter and footsteps emitting from the streams of people.

"It's not that I don't believe you. I mean, from what I remember it all adds up." Akina fell silent once more, an anxious look washed out her face. "Do you guys know how I ended up there in the first place?"

"Actually… we were hoping you had some idea of what happened," Kota responded from beside her. "Do you recall anything unusual before you passed out."

"…No, I can't say I do." Akina bit her lip as she struggled to think back to all those days ago. "I remember being really angry at the two of you after I headed home. After that, it felt as though I was hit with a wave of sleepiness out of nowhere." Kota simply nodded.

"I guess we're just going to have to hope that it doesn't happen again," Kota spoke without the slightest hint disappointment. He wished he could believe himself, but he figured he could convince the others that there was a chance that that would be the last that they would see of the Subex.

"I'm really sorry that I couldn't be of any help." Sitting on the opposite side of Akina, Jaden shook his head.

"What are you apologising for? You can't help it if you can't remember anything."

"By the way," Kota interjected, "did you find a Transferral device after you woke up?"

"A Trans-what?" Akina was visibly confused about what she was asked, but a light bulb went on over Jaden's head as he remembered what he found the day after he got his Persona.

"Oh yeah! It looks like a watch, only the display is pitch black." Akina blinked and placed a hand on her forehead as she took in the description.

"I think I know what you're talking about," She claimed after only a slight delay. "I found it in my room when I got back from the hospital. How did it get there?"

"We don't know," Kota responded, "but it allows us to enter the Subex, that is, the place where we found you."

"So, isn't having one of those dangerous with all the monsters there?"

"Maybe, but it's not like we can throw them out." The Wild Card sounded downcast as he spoke. "Now that we know that people can end up there without a Transferral, we have to use it to save anyone that ends up there."

"Besides, we have our Personas." Jaden flashed a grin at Akina with confidence. "We'll be able to tear through those Shadows, no problem." Akina tilted her head inquisitively as she looked back at the half-Englishman.

"So does that mean I have one of those Personas as well? That was who Daena was, right?" The question was quick to sour the look on Jaden's face.

"Hey now, I know what you're thinking. Just because you have a Persona, doesn't mean that you have to use it," Jaden scolded her. "You could seriously get hurt over there!"

"But someone's going to have to help whoever gets trapped in that place," Akina spoke seriously out of concern, but Jaden wouldn't budge on his stance.

"Kota and I will handle it. Honestly, there's no need to worry."

"How am I not going to worry about those things possibly hurting you two?" Kota could see the same fire in Akina's eyes that she has when in the midst of a passionate argument. "And what if they manage to…" The albino's words stopped midsentence and she turned to the pavement under her feet as she grew increasingly emotional at the dark thought of the worst-case scenario.

"You should let her fight with us." Kota caught both of his classmates by surprise after remaining quiet for some time.

"What?" Jaden voiced his doubt but Kota didn't budge on his stance.

"We're going to need that extra Persona if we ever need to go back to the Subex. Besides, shouldn't you be trusting her enough to decide for herself?"

"It's not that I don't trust her, it's…" Jaden mentally fished for a rebuttal point, but he could only sigh in defeat before reluctantly conceding. "You're right."

"I promise that I'll be alright," said Akina, looking to reassure her half-westerner friend. "I just want to be there to make sure that you two don't do anything stupid."

"Hey! Trust has to be a two-way street," Jaden pouted.

"I'm kidding… Still, if something were to happen to you to guys and I wasn't there…"

"Relax, it's all settled now." Dropping his disapproval of Akina possibly getting involved with the Shadows, Jaden went on to change the subject. "So, sporting clubs are starting up next week, huh?"

"That's right." Accepting the change, Akina turned to the quieter of the two boys. "Are you joining a sporting club, Kota?"

"I haven't got a clue on what I would join. Is being part of a club compulsory?"

"Technically, it's not, but I hear that Ms Toriumi is known for pushing her students into joining a sports club." Kota nodded glumly at the girl. After coming in late again, Toriumi chewed him out in front of the class. The last thing he wanted in a repeat of that. Luckily for him and Akina, the cake they had spared them from any further punishment. "Though if you're not interested in sports, you can always a cultural club instead." Jaden shuddered upon hearing the words 'cultural club'.

"The cultural clubs…" Jaden had a sour look on his face, likely due to some bad memories resurfacing. "I still have nightmares over the hassling those club recruiters put me through last year."

"I'm sure you have more of that to look forward to," Akina stated. "It's been rumoured that the school is looking at cutting down the number of those clubs further before cultural activities commence."

"Great… Just what I was hoping to hear." The sarcasm in Jaden's words was so evident that it was impossible to miss. "I think I'll skip a week of school when recruiting season comes around."

"Aww, come on. Don't go putting thoughts in Kota's head. You're making it sound worse than it actually is."

"…Says the person who is contributing to chaos in two-weeks' time." Jaden looked at Akina with a dark expression.

"What am I supposed to do? No campaigning means no new members, which also means no more environmental club." While Akina's discussion was serious, Jaden refused to follow suit.

"Right… Let me go ahead and play the world's smallest violin for you." Insulted, Akina reached down into the pool of water inside the fountain and splashed him, wetting the outside of his closest pant leg. "Hey!"

"Hmpf!" Unable to find the word to express her anger, Akina turned her back on him with a huff. Having lost one set of ears to share his thoughts with, he turned to the other in the form of Kota.

"Anyway, I'm in the Soccer Club. The third-years are jerks, but at least I don't have to join up with any cultural clubs."

"Do you enjoy it?" While it was a simple question, Jaden ran his fingers through his spiked hair in a moment of silence.

"I like the sport, but the club has a tradition of sorts where the freshmen and juniors are pushed around by the seniors. But if I've proven that I could slay monsters from another dimension, then what's a couple of upperclassmen going to be able to do?" The hope in his eyes was extinguished as swiftly as they had sparked upon reading Kota's response through his worried facial expression. "Actually, don't answer that…"

After having the time to calm herself down, Akina stood up and turned to her classmates.

"It's been nice hanging out with you both, but I've got to head home now. I have a mountain of schoolwork that I need to catch up on." It was understandable considering how much class time she had missed due to the coma, though Kota was a little sad to hear that she had to go.

"That's a shame." Jaden seemed disappointed by the abrupt exit. "At least I'll be able to take Kota to the café again."

"You mean Chagall?" Akina paused briefly but didn't need a response to see what Jaden was trying to achieve. "Wait. Don't tell me you have him drinking those Pheromone Coffees."

"What's wrong with that?" The wealthy teen asked innocently. Akina sighed, her disappointed gaze aimed squarely at him.

"You do realise that the rumour about how it attracts girls has been debunked ages ago, right?" The young environmentalist spoke as though it was a matter of fact as she crossed her arms. "No one has believed in it since before you moved here." Jaden took his time to take those words in, but rather then discourage him, the corners of his mouth shot upwards to form a large grin.

"Ohhhhh… I see what's happening here."

"What? Stop wearing that smug look on your face." Despite her protests, Jaden smile only widened that little bit further.

"Afraid of having a bit of competition, are we?"

"Competition over what?" Akina's annoyed scowl as she spoke to Jaden dropped almost instantly as her red eyes locked onto Kota. "W-Wait. You're not saying that…" The colour on her face quickly drained from a moment of shock while her gaze remained locked onto the transfer student.

"…?" Kota could feel the sets of eyes of both of friends zero in on him as though the conversation concerned him, but he could only stare back at them blankly as he was unable to understand what they were getting so worked up over.

"You know what? Fine!" Akina blurted out as her previously pale face glowed red. "You two can drink your caffeine until you're bouncing off the walls for all I care!"

"Alright, we'll do just that," Jaden said. Akina swiftly turned her back on the pair and stormed off without sparing them a second glance. "See you at school!" His mood not affected by his friend's rushed exit, Jaden cheerfully waved after her.

"Jaden, you really shouldn't upset her like that. You're making me worry about her." Watching the girl depart in that manner brought back the painful image of the look she had when she got mad at him, moments before she passed out earlier that week.

"She's fine. She's just not being true to herself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jaden only smiled coyly at his friend.

"You know what? I won't say it."

"Say what?" Pleading ignorance once again, Kota was shot a look of pity before Jaden harshly flicked him in the middle of his forehead. "Ow!"

"Jeez, you really are thick." The wealthy blonde jumped to his feet eagerly and beckoned for Kota to follow. "Come on. Time's a wasting!"

"…Okay?" As bothered as Kota was from the lack of an answer, he had to let it go as Jaden was already halfway to the café. Even if he wasn't side-tracked by the promise of women-alluring coffees, Jaden didn't seem willing to divulge anything about what made Akina so upset.

Kota sighed, conceding to the fact that there is still plenty that he was yet to learn about his respected classmates.

* * *

 **Monday 22nd April**

With Jaden having to uphold his Soccer Club commitments and Akina dedicating her time to making up for the classes she was absent for, Kota found himself alone as he wandered through the school halls. The bell signalling the end of classes for the day rang some fifteen minutes ago, yet majority the students of Gekkoukan High were quick to either attend their clubs or leave the school grounds.

During homeroom, Ms Toriumi made special mention that today marked the first day of sport club activities for the school year. The news was met by most with excitement with the class and the school at large engaging in discussions related to the clubs. While he didn't have any interest in them at first, Kota had begun to grow curious about what it would be like. He'd noticed the flyers promoting the various activities, but he could only see himself joining one particular club, which was what he was presently searching for the gym that they practice in.

Taking a turn from a hallway felt that he had seen for the fourth or fifth time, Kota was relieved to find an exit door that would allow him to leave the main building. Even for a new arrival, the cyan-haired boy's sense of direction in the school grounds was terrible. He would also find himself aimlessly wandering the island if he'd ever strayed from the one path he knew leading to the train station, so Kota's struggle wasn't purely because the school was built like a labyrinth, though it certainly didn't help.

Pushing the windowed door open, he found a grassy slope leading him to the baseball pitch. There, there were two groups of students doing their tryouts for the school's baseball team under the pleasantly blue sky. With the soccer pitch being the only other point of interest that he could see, frustration started to build inside of Kota as he realised that he hadn't found the gym just yet.

That was when he noticed the familiar blue bandanas that one of the students on the pitch had tied through his fair brown hair as he stepped up to the pitcher's plate. It was Hidehiko Kushiro, one of his classmates. While he wasn't particularly close with him, Kota felt comfortable enough to ask him for directions.

As Kota made his way over to the dugout, Kushiro looked to be readying up a pitch. The was no batter there, but there looked to be a speed radar being held up by one of the coaches. With a signal from the catcher, Kushiro started his wind-up. It was slow, almost like every movement was immensely calculated. Kota couldn't see his face, but he imagined his classmate bearing a stern face of immense concentration.

From the moment his front leg couldn't get any higher, he stepped forward lightning quick and followed through his pitch with incredible strength and speed. A noise from the pitch was only a hair shy of a sonic boom as the ball cannoned into the catcher's glove without the crouched student having to move an inch.

The other prospective members of the baseball team watched Kushiro launch another two lethally accurate pitch obviously impressed. The first-years, in particular, looked on in complete awe as though they have just witnessed a miracle with each toss. With some words of praise by the coach, Kushiro stepped off the plate looking satisfied with his performance. Pulling off his bandana and wiping his brow of sweat, he headed back to the other players. He was promptly congratulated by the students waiting in the dugout while the cheers sounded from the spectators from the stands, almost all of them belonging to girls.

Kota waited for the commotion to die down once the next pitcher was called up before getting Kushiro's attention.

"Hey, Kushiro," he said, looking at the light-haired boy. "Your pitches were amazing."

"I bet I surprised you, huh?" Kushiro didn't seem like the guy to be an elite-level athlete. In class, he always presented himself as being relaxed almost to the point where he would seem uncaring. If it wasn't for his unique bandana, Kota would have dismissed the idea that the same Kushiro that slept through his history classes can take baseball so seriously.

"I don't mean to be a downer, but if you're here to watch the tryouts, you need to get to the stands. The coach will grill you if he thinks you're disturbing the players." He motioned to the tall fencing behind him with his thumb as several groups of girls sitting amongst the crowd were ogling him with admiring eyes. Kota knew that he was well liked by his peers due to his easy-going nature, but it looked as though he was popular with the girls too.

"Actually, I was hoping that you would point me to where the gym is."

"Gatogi didn't ditch you already, did he?" Kushiro jested.

"Not at all. He has another club on and thought about looking into this club at the last minute." What he was saying was true, but even if that wasn't the case, Kota had his reasons for seeking out the club without Jaden or Akina's help.

"I kid. Jaden's a good guy. I know he wouldn't do that. So, you're joining the Kendo Club?" Kota's eyes shot open alarmingly. He wanted to keep the club he wanted to join a secret, so hearing his classmate bring up it up so casually took him off guard.

"How can you tell?"

"You don't look to be the volleyball or badminton sort." Kushiro looked satisfied that he could guess Kota's preferred club so easily. Thinking about it now, those clubs along with the kendo club were the only ones being held in the gym today, so it was an easy assumption to make. "Anyway, follow that path to the back of the school. There'll be two other buildings. The closest one holds the swimming pool, so you'll want the one behind it."

"Got it. Thanks, Kushiro." He flashed a charismatic smile.

"Just call me Hide from now on. I find hearing my surname kind of tiring." It was strange that he would get tired being referred to by a three-syllable word, but then again, this was Kushiro he was talking to.

"Oi!" A man's booming voice erupted from the batter's plate being directed at Kota. The coach was wearing an intimidating glare as he finally noticed him chatting with his star player. "Spectators need to be behind the fence!"

"Sorry! I was just leaving." Even though the man was some 30 metres away, the Persona-user could tell that he had a scarily huge frame. Kota took off running before he knew it. Thankfully, he finally knew where he was going.

* * *

A short time later, Kota found himself looming over the freshly waxed floor of the Gekkoukan High School gym. The bright sunlight was piercing through the highly-placed windows and lighting up the enormous space, giving the cyan-haired boy a feeling of warmth as he stepped inside. The sounds of sneakers frantically beating the wooden flooring echoed around the gym with the odd yell from any of the numerous activities that were being carried out.

Towards the back of the gym, Kota could see two students with protective sparring gear wielding sturdy bamboo swords. Several other students were standing against the wall, most of them wearing their own protective gear, while several small groups looked over the activities from the stands.

Kota approached the Kendo members as the two duellists locked swords for the deciding points. The taller of the two looked to have the edge as they tested their strength, but his opponent was putting up a spirited fight. All the while, a female student wearing a black headband with her regular uniform watched the fight avidly from a bench positioned by the edge of the battle area.

Her long hazel hair was as fine as silk and matched the colour of her soft eyes. Combined with her delicate facial features, Kota found her to be one of the more attractive girls he'd seen at the school. If the clipboard and whistle were anything to go by, she was likely the club manager.

"Excuse me. Do you have a moment?" Kota approached her to ask about any openings, but the girl silently rose her slender finger in front of him as if to say 'wait a moment'. Seeing that it would be futile to insist on speaking to her, the Wild Card holder watched the rest of the fight play out.

Both fighters seemed rough around the edges as their bamboo swords traded blows. The smaller kendo swordsman looked to put his weight into one last almighty strike to put his opponent off balance. The weapons were locked again as the loud sound of wood-on-wood rung between the walls of the gym as the fighters gave it their all, but the larger boy's brawn proved to be too much to overcome. With the smaller student's sword forced aside, he was left open to the follow-up swing that collected him on the neck of his protective helmet.

"And that's game." The manager stood up from her seat the moment the match was decided. "Sorry, Imatsu. Looks like drinks will be on you this time."

"Oh man…" The loser of the match took off the protective headgear, revealing the distort look on his face. It was none other than Daichi, one of the transfer students that Kota has socialised with during his first week of school. "I guess I should have been stricter on my diet during the school break."

The sparring students went on to congratulate one another on a hard-fought battle as the manager turned back to Kota.

"So, you're interested in joining the Kendo Club?"

"Huh?" Kota was starting to get freaked out by people reading him as though he was an open book, but at least it saved him from telling her himself. "Only if you have room for one more."

"See for yourself." She looked over her shoulder at the rest of the club as they chatted amongst themselves. There was only about 20 of them in total. "We're a little on the smaller end of the scale in terms of numbers, so I was hoping to add some more fresh faces." The girl looked at Kota expectantly and smiled warmly. "By the way, I'm Akemi Ogata. Club manager and student of room 3-A."

"Kota Isarota, Class 2-C."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Kota shook hands with his senior, immediately taking a strong liking to the girl's casual demeanour. "If you're interested in joining, you should know that we don't take competition all that seriously. We're actually more like a social club in a way."

"That sounds… perfect." The Persona user's biggest concern with joining a club was the extra commitment he would be taking on, alongside his schooling, living independently and the potential revisits to the Subex. Another demanding constraint on top of what he already had to deal with would stress him to no end.

"Great, I can see you fitting in nicely, so long as you keep our early clock-off times a secret." Akemi sounded surprisingly serious about that last part, as Kota felt the stern look from the brunette.

"Well…" Seeing how terrible Kota had proven to keep things close to his chest, he hesitated. Akemi let out a playful giggle.

"I'm only kidding. The school is actually quite lenient about club's altering their schedules. Now, if you could give me a moment, I'll make your induction official." Akemi stepped up to the bench so she stood over the rest of the club.

"Can I have everyone's attention for a few seconds?" The chatter between the members died down as they all lent their ears to their manager. "I'd like to introduce you all to Kota Isarota. Starting next week, he will be a member of the Kendo Club. I'm sure you all don't need me telling you, but be sure to make him feel welcome."

Kota could only wave a little awkwardly at the group as they greeted him with a hearty applause. Akemi continued.

"And with that, I call our first club meeting for the year to a close. Be sure to swing by the juice bar for a celebratory drink before you head home."

Most members promptly focused their efforts on packing up the kendo equipment, motivated by the promise of a cool drink on a warm day. Akemi stepped down from the bench and flipped through the many layers of paper attached to her clipboard. She pulled out a couple of sheets and handed them to Kota.

"Fill out these forms by the time we meet next week and you'll be good to go." The manager gave a charming smile to her underclassman. "I'll see you then."

"Ogata," one of the senior club members called out to Akemi, "could I borrow you for a moment?"

"Sure thing, Idechi!" From the glances in her direction as Akemi made her way to the tall male, Kota sensed that the guys looked at her quite fondly.

"Hey, Isarota!" Daichi greeted the new recruit as he approached him with another second-year club member. He was the victor of the final match over the long-haired boy. "I had no idea that you were interested in Kendo."

"It was a spar of the moment thing," Kota replied casually. "I don't really know the rules."

"Well, you can stick with me until you learn the ropes," Daichi spoke energetically as his shorter partner narrowed his eyes at him.

"Just don't go picking up any of his bad habits. If you do, you'll be out of cash in no time." While the boy meant it in jest, Daichi appeared bothered by the comment. "Speaking of which, are you going to join us for a smoothie? The club usually stops by a place outside the school when we wrap up."

"So, that would be another drink for me to pay for, huh?" The dark-haired boy's colour drained from his face from the prospect.

"If that would be a problem, then I'll pass." Before Kota could thank the pair for the offer, Daichi cut in.

"Nah, it's fine. I'd rather be a few yen poorer than being labelled as a cheapskate. Speaking of which, have you met Yuto Kagawa?" Daichi gestured to the other boy as Kagawa let out a chuckle.

"You're such a bastard."

The trio went on to make lively small talk as the Kendo Club left the gym, followed by the envious looks of the hard-working volleyball members.

* * *

A sweaty and mud-covered Jaden lightly panted as he briskly entered the men's locker rooms after two hours of brutal soccer training. His goal was to get into one of the cubicles as quickly as he could without attracting any attention from his seniors, knowing that they will be looking to humiliate him.

Sliding into his locker on the bottom row, he heard something hit the ground closer to the doorway. With a startled look, the blonde found that an abnormally large blue sports bag had fallen out of a locker located on the top shelf. Cursing outdated storage lockers and the lack of time he had, Jaden rushed to the heavy bag a forcefully pushed it back where it came from, leaving the door ajar.

By the time he had got his bag out of his locker he could hear the chatter of his teammates. Towering over the other players, five senior students loudly entered the change rooms, telling crude jokes to one another while frequently using vulgar language. The captain of the team, the biggest one of the lot that went by the name of Takeru, was the first to notice Jaden.

"Hey, Gatogi, you were looking pretty weak out there. You better quit being a wimp and get better before our first game." Jaden jumped when he heard his name and tried to stop himself from panicking as the seniors approached him.

"Y-Yeah? I'll... I'll be sure to work on it." Jaden's nervousness caused him to stutter on his words. The seniors snickered.

"Look at this sad sack of shit." The boys burst out in laughter and continued to hurl hurtful comments at Jaden's direction. Unfortunately for first and second-year students, the senior members of the soccer team had a "tradition" of bad-mouthing an individual after every match and training session. Jaden could thank his family wealth and label as a social outcast for him being singled out by the club's bullies more often than anyone.

"Gatogi, clean and polish my boots for me before I finish my shower, unless you want to spend the night in your locker." Another one of the guys jeered as he tossed the boot he was holding at the second-year, hitting him straight in the chest. Hanging his head in defeat, Jaden dropped to his knees to pick up the boots as several more pairs of them were dropped on top of him. The laughing ended abruptly when another soccer player forcefully nudged the back of Takeru as he walked past.

"What the hell, asshole!" The captain yelled angrily after the player.

"You were in the way," was the blunt reply that followed. Jaden looked up to see who the player was. The player was the top goalkeeper for the soccer team, a second-year student who had an unenviable reputation at the school as a trouble-maker, Zaki Shodaru. Zaki stopped in front of his locker went about his normal routine, his dark unkempt hair partly covering his blue eyes.

"Hey, jerk-off, I want a word with you," Takeru continued to call out to Zaki. To the relief of Jaden, the senior had completely forgotten about him for the time being. Zaki opened his locker and grabbed his bag before closing it and making his way out of the locker room. He showed no interest in the group of seniors as he passed them without even a glance. Takeru snarled, taking disrespect from the underclassman.

"Hey, Shodaru!" The captain grabbed his water bottle from the bag he was holding the threw it at the goalkeeper. The bottle connected with the back of Zaki's head before falling to the ground. The boy immediately stopped where he was and the entire room was enveloped in a heavy air of tension. There were rumours that Zaki had gotten himself involved in many fights during his first year at Gekkoukan High, but Jaden had never seen the guy fight for himself.

A part of him knew that that was about to change real soon.

"My bottle could do with a refill," the large-bodied senior spelt out, menacingly. Zaki stood there for a few seconds longer before kneeling to pick up the bottle. He got back up facing the captain and gave him a glare. Takeru kept a smug look on his face as if he wasn't bothered, but Jaden could tell that the glare intimidated the other seniors who had started to back away towards where the rest of the team were watching.

To everyone's surprise, Zaki walked to the nearest set of taps and started to fill the bottle with water. Whispers broke out within the group of spectators as the captain wore a nasty smile on his face. With the bottle full, the dark-haired boy remained with his back to the bully and held his position, as if patiently waiting for an opportunity to get out of the predicament he found himself in. Jaden could hear the fellow second-year mutter his words of warning.

"Don't look up."

"Huh?" As if it was the signal he had been waiting for, Zaki tossed the bottle over his head, sending it soaring through the air.

With Takeru keeping his eye on the bottle, Zaki moved quickly to close the gap between himself the captain while pulling his right fist back and preparing to throw the punch. Takeru realised his mistake, widening his eyes in panic as he sensed the underclassman below his field of vision. Zaki's glove-covered fist made an impact with his stomach with tremendous speed, causing Takeru stumble backwards.

"Gaah!" The senior managed to keep his feet, though it was clear that the hit heavily winded him. "Coward's hit!" Zaki didn't seem discouraged by the larger boy's remark as he waited for his next move.

It didn't take long for him to retaliate, the third-year making a lunge towards the younger student. With a raised fist, Takeru closed the distance between him and the target.

"I'll show you how to throw a real punch!" Contact was moments from being made before…

Thunk!

The water bottle that Zaki tossed in the air earlier hit Takeru in the head, running water down his face. With his attacker's eyes closed, Zaki sidestepped the charging club captain with ease, positioning himself next to the rows of locker doors. The senior's momentum carried him into the taps at the far end of the room. Luckily for him, he stopped himself from cannoning into metal basins.

"So that's how you throw a punch, huh?" Despite the black-haired boy's words, he didn't sound as though he intended to mock his opponent. Zaki just seemed genuinely disinterested in the fight he found himself in.

"You…" Filled with rage, Takeru turned to face Zaki. "Do you really think you can make a fool of me?!" Veins were bulging from his forehead as his teeth ground on each other so tightly that the noise they made echoed off the walls of the room.

"You're doing a good job of that by yourself." Zaki's voice was somewhat hushed as though he was only speaking to himself, though there wasn't a single person in the room that couldn't hear it.

"Ahhh!" In the blink of an eye, the upperclassman made another move towards him with tight white knuckles. While Jaden started to worry for his teammate, Zaki's eyes seemed to light up, knowing that it was now the time to take him seriously as his attacker leapt into the air.

"Your next line is, 'I've got you now, Shodaru!'" Zaki pointed a finger at Takeru, as though cueing him.

"I've got you now, Shodaru!" Takeru suddenly became startled upon realising that he had played right into Zaki's hands. Zaki slammed his fist into a nearby locker, causing another locker between him and Takeru to swing open. A large blue gym bag shot out of the locker only inches in front of the captain's face. Jaden was shocked to realise that that was the same bag that he accidentally knocked over earlier.

Obstructing his attacker's view once again, Zaki spun out of the fist aimed squarely at his head. Seamlessly turning defence into attack, Zaki continued to carry that momentum to wind-up a punch of his own. As the blow connected with Takeru's face through the heavy bag, Jaden noticed the fire and determination on his teammate's face. It was almost as if he wasn't himself and this was him acting out of instinct.

"Ghakk!" With the bag planted on his forehead, the senior flew backwards and landed on the unforgiving tile surface and remained there, unmoving.

The rest of the team, including Jaden, watched the scene in awe. The other seniors looked at one another, waiting for anyone to step up in Takeru's place. Understandably, not a single person stepped forward. Zaki, who seemed to have reverted to his stoic self, looked down at his defeated opponent without a look satisfaction or pride. Strangely, the goalkeeper looked rather unhappy with the situation he had found himself in. The blue-eyed delinquent placed his hand on his forehead and let out a curt sigh.

"She's not going to like this at all." was all that Zaki muttered before he made his unhurried exit with his gear in hand.


	10. Not Your Average Guardian Angel

**Chapter 10: Tuesday 23th April**

"I'm telling you, it was freakin awesome!"

For the last 10 minutes, Kota and Akina had sat at their table in the cafeteria with glazed-over eyes, as Jaden energetically retold a story that happened to him after soccer practice the other day.

"Wait, who were you talking about again?" Kota asked, sounding half-asleep. Jaden frowned at him.

"Zaki Shodaru," replied Akina, blatantly as bored as her classmate. "He's got a bad reputation for getting caught up in fights, particularly with his seniors."

"That may be true, but he's a straight-up legend!" He was aware of how disinterested his friends were, but he continued to sing his praises for the guy. "He was all like 'I can predict what you're going to say next', and he totally did, and then he punched him out in a second. It was as though he could read the jerk's mind." Jaden was beaming as he got going once again. "I'm not kidding. That guy's amazing."

"God, I've never seen you gush so hard over another guy before." Akina rolled her eyes as her words made an impact on Jaden similar to that of a strong jab to the stomach.

"I'm not gushing!" Jaden burst out, earning him several looks of annoyance from the neighbouring tables. "I'm just doing the story justice by describing how wicked he was."

"You're sounding pretty defensive there." Akina started to eye him suspiciously. "Are you sure you don't just have a man crush on him?"

"Heck no! I don't swing like that!" Jaden was quick to answer as the disgust he felt was reflected justly on his face. "Kota would know. He and I talk about girls at Chagall all the time."

"So… I'm not your man crush then?"

"Of all the times you could turn against me, this REALLY is a bad time for you to do so." Jaden looked a little hurt as he stood up. "I'm just going to go ahead and take my pork buns elsewhere. I'll see you guys once you're both done questioning my sexuality!" The blue-haired boy felt the sting of regret as he watched Jaden storm off with his food.

"We should probably stop annoying each other like this…"

"Eh… I guess." Akina, on the other hand, appeared to be much more indifferent as she shrugged off his concern, likely because she sees it as getting even for what unfolded last Sunday. "Anyway, I heard that you joined the Kendo Club."

"Yeah. Daichi and the other members were really welcoming." Of course, there was more to it than that but Kota didn't want to fill her in on those details.

"That's good, as long as you're not joining as a way of training for the Shadows." As Akina waited for his response, Kota's silence spoke more words than any form of denial could have. The transfer student feared that either of his friends would catch on the fact that he was constantly thinking and worried about Personas and Shadows, but Akina was able to notice immediately.

"Kota, look." She sounded slightly disappointed, though her concern was palpable as she spoke. "I know that this isn't my place to worry, but I don't want you to be caught up with what's happening in that other place. While you're here, I want you to be able to enjoy yourself. I can't help but feel that you need more of that."

"I guess you're right. But I enjoy hanging out with you and Jaden." Akina averted her eyes from the blue-haired youth out of both nervousness and embarrassment.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm serious… even if it usually ends with one of you storming off angrily." Kota smiled sincerely when Akina looked back at him. "Everything feels so much livelier when I'm hanging out with you two. Trust me, you guys are already doing enough."

"Really?" Kota could see the pale-skinned girl fidget as she struggled to face him again. "Well… if it's okay with you, we can always organise to see one another whenever you're free."

"You mean us and Jaden, right?"

"Actually…"

"Ahoy, Master Isarota, Miss Yonashi." Mr Kobayashi, Gekkoukan's school Principal, stood over the two seated students as he walked by, unknowing interrupting their conversation.

"O-Oh… Mr Kobayashi!" The Principal's sudden appearance looked to have flustered Akina, made evident by her reddening face and the abrupt spike in volume when she responded.

"I was just passing through and couldn't help but notice the two of you." The friendly man gave his students an undeniably goofy smile. "You're both getting along with each other, I hope."

"Definitely. She's really helped me settle in. Jaden too." Kota was quick to answer, while Akina awkwardly looked down at her bento box as though she was hoping to find a way to hide in it.

"I'm glad to hear that. It's great that you've already made some dependable friends." Kobayashi's eyes wondered briefly before becoming set on the clock hanging on the wall of the cafeteria. "Aw jeez, is that the time? I need to be back in my office!" He looked back at the youths and gave a rushed bow apologetically. "Please excuse me."

Kobayashi turned on a dime and briskly weaved between the rows of tables in a not-so-composed fashion. Kota looked on, amused.

"He's a bit of a character, huh?"

"Hmm…" Akina didn't move as she gave him subdued reply. It was almost something annoyed her all of a sudden.

"Oh yeah. Wasn't there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Umm… never mind. It wasn't anything important. Really." Shaking off her bad mood from earlier, Akina just gave her friend a smile. "Just know that Jaden and I are happy to help."

"I know," Kota responded in kind with his own smile. "Thanks for looking out for me."

* * *

As Kota ate with Akina, he remembered that he had something to discuss with Kobayashi. When the Principal dropped him off at the dormitory the day he arrived, he mentioned that he would look into the details of his enrolment. Excusing himself from the table after his meal, he saw that he had time to visit Kobayashi's office.

Navigating the school building, he made it to the office without a problem with the directions, thanks to the door being positioned just down the hall from the cafeteria. Just as he was reaching out for the door, it slid open, revealing the dark-haired boy who opened it from the other side.

"Oh!" Kota stepped back to get out of the student's way. "Pardon me." With an indifferent look on his face, he gave just a nod of acknowledgement and continued on his way. Just as Kota turned back to the office, he caught the padded glove that the boy was wearing on just his right hand. After hearing Jaden's story just minutes ago, he had a realisation.

"Hey," Kota called after the boy. "You wouldn't happen to be Zaki Shodaru by any chance?" The boy lazily turned back to Kota until his blue eyes were able to bore into him.

"I am." The boy crossed his arms as his gaze met Kota's, unflinching.

"Ah, well…" The curt response tripped Kota up briefly, but he continued despite Zaki's standoffish nature. "My friend in the soccer club told me about how you got those bullies off his back. I just wanted to say thanks for helping him out." Zaki sighed in response, seemingly annoyed.

"Your thanks isn't necessary. I didn't do it for him." The gloved student lifted his hand in a way that partially hid his face, making it difficult to determine whether or not he was telling the truth. He later lowered his hand to continue the discussion. "I was called in for that incident just earlier," he spoke, lazily gesturing towards the door he just walked through with a nod.

"You didn't get into any trouble, did you?" Kota felt worried for him as Zaki didn't instigate the fight, from what he heard from Jaden anyway. In contrast, Zaki just shrugged without a care.

"Just a warning. The guy didn't need any real medical attention, so being sent to the Principal's office was a bit much. Though, I suppose my history had a hand in that."

"History?" Zaki didn't seem interested in elaborating, choosing to turn his back on Kota instead.

"If you would excuse me, I'm heading home."

"Wait! We still have afternoon classes to attend."

"I know." That couldn't change Zaki's mind as he wandered off, likely heading to the shoe lockers on his way out. Kota saw him off, completely dumbfounded. He didn't seem to be the misunderstood fighter of justice that Jaden spoke of or the reckless, good-for-nothing bully that Akina thought he was.

Somehow, seeing the boy walk off made him feel uneasy. He had the sudden urge to call out to him, almost like he wanted to warn him of something, but he couldn't find the words. He didn't understand it.

It was only when Zaki turned down another hallway and disappeared from Kota's sight when he turned back to the Principal's office. Hopefully, he could find something that would explain why he ended up in this city and fill in the blanks that his amnesia caused.

Feeling more than a little nervous, Kota held his clenched fist in front of the door before knocking his knuckles against the wood. He could hear the sound echo from the other side of the door along with a startled noise from whoever was inside.

"Uh, come in!" Kota promptly entered the office to find an immaculately polished desk, arranged to the point of millimetre perfection with each item put in its proper place. The walls surrounding the large window opposite the door were lined with awards received by the school and an excessive amount of filing cabinets.

"Master Isarota." Principal Kobayashi straightened up in his black leather chair. "I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Please, take a seat." Kota helped himself one of the two black chairs opposite of Kobayashi.

"Sorry. I would have let you know beforehand, but it only just occurred to me." Kobayashi interlaced his fingers as he waited for Kota to go on. "You have a student record that I'll be able to look at, right?"

"Ah." Understanding, Kobayashi looked sombre. "No luck remembering your past, huh?" The cyan-haired youth looked down at his feet. He felt almost ashamed for not recalling anything after more than a fortnight of arriving at Iwatodai. "Cheer up." The Principal's smiled in an attempt to instil optimism in his student. "I'll see what we have about you on file." The man moved around his office, going from cabinet to cabinet as he scanned through the folders contained within them.

"This all… doesn't seem too weird, does it?" Kota looked at his reflections from the shiny nameplate on the desk as Kobayashi started tossing papers aside in his search.

"In all honesty, it doesn't seem normal. That's the definition of weird, right?" Kobayashi's brutally honest words discouraged Kota as he wished he didn't bring it up. He wondered what Jaden and Akina would think if they knew. Given what the two of them had just been through, would they look at him the same way as they do now? They might even grow suspicious of the Persona-user and distance themselves from him. Having only just forged friendships with them, he wasn't willing to risk ruining it with his secret, at least not yet.

"Aha!" Kota looked up at Kobayashi as he let out a triumphant cheer. "Took a bit of searching, but here you go." Labelled 'Isarota, Kota', the folder was placed on the mahogany desk before him. Eager to see what it contained, Kota wordlessly flipped through its contents. "You'll be happy to know that your schooling and accommodation has been paid for the year, so you won't have to worry about being kicked out anytime soon."

Ignoring the Principal's chatter, Kota got to work absorbing all the information that he could get. His birth date was March 6th, 1997. His birth city was, oddly enough, Iwatodai while his place of residence prior to his enrolment was a place in Okina City. He had just one allergy: Shellfish?

As he took down notes using his phone, Kota couldn't feel any sort of familiarity with any of these facts. Still, they embodied hope that the boy would remember everything and learn why he was sent here. Outside of a street address, nothing in the file was particularly useful.

"I hope that has cleared everything up," Kobayashi spoke as Kota closed the file and handed it back to Principal. "If not, you may need to visit a doctor. They'll be more likely to help you further."

Kota nodded, but it was bad enough that the Principal knew his secret. He didn't really have any intention of involving anyone else. Grateful to the Principal for what he was able to provide, he bowed to him. "Thank you, Kobayashi, sir."

* * *

Sitting behind the main school building shortly after leaving the Principal's office, Kota was navigating through the map app on his phone. Even when he would enter his "home" address to the letter, it would just point to a cinema complex in the city. After scanning the surrounding further for other buildings that might hold the same address, he had no option but to accept that the address was fake.

The idea that Kota didn't have a home to return to scared him, but he didn't allow himself to despair. He had another year until he would have to leave the dorm and he was hopeful that with all the extraordinary things that seem to cross his path, he'll find someone that has to know what's going on.

Just as Kota shut off his phone, it sprung to life again to the sound of his ringtone. He expected it to be either Jaden or Akina since they were the only ones who have his number, but the number wasn't listed in his contacts list. With the phone display simply reading 'Unknown', Kota was apprehensive as he answered.

"Hello?" Silence was the only response from the other side of the line, leaving Kota anxious as he held his phone firmly over his ear.

"You seem to be doing fair well for yourself." From seemingly nowhere a deep, unfamiliar voice oozed out from the device's speaker.

"What?" Kota was left stunned as he waited for clarification from the older-sounding man.

"Things have been moving more quickly than I anticipated, though you've been handling things quite nicely. Perhaps you won't need my guidance after all."

"Hey!" It felt as though the man had hijacked the conversation and pushed it into hyperspeed before he was able to follow. "Who are you?"

"Just call me Noah. Think of me as your Guardian." The man spoke as though it was a matter of fact and Kota was slow for not being able to catch on. "I wish to only assist you in your endeavours."

"What endeavours? What are you talking about?" Noah sighed, tired of all the questions that were fired at him.

"As uninformed as you must feel right now, I'm sure you know the answer to that one." Kota settled himself briefly with a deep breath and tried to think what he would need guidance for. In the end, only one possible explanation stood out to him.

"The Subex..." The uneasy weight in his chest grew as the chatter halted once again. What on Earth did he just find himself in the middle of?

"As fun as this chat has been, I'm afraid that there will be something much bigger for you to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"Another unfortunate soul is due to collapse soon and someone has to bring him to his senses." Kota's hairs on the back of his neck stood up as the alarm bells started to ring in between his ears.

"Someone's going to end up in the Subex? Who is it?"

"Now, now. It would hardly be fun if I spoon-fed everything to you."

"I thought you were meant to help me." Confused and panicked, Kota pushed desperately for more information. "Tell me!"

"Patience, young Kota." Hearing the man call him by name brought out a reactive scowl from the boy. "If you are able to fulfil your purpose like I trust you will, the truth will come to you in good time. Until then, you know what you need to do."

The man hung up before he could get another word out, leaving Kota shaken. If what that man was saying was true, then there will soon be another person in the Subex. Kota would have to visit Glitch once classes have finished to make sure that they aren't there already. He dreaded the thought of taking on the Shadows again despite his past successful rescues. With Akina bent on assisting Kota and Jaden against the Shadows, Kota had even more to lose by returning there.

Looking down at the phone in his hand, the mysterious man's closing remark lingered in his mind.

"My purpose, huh?"

* * *

With an eventful lunch coming to an end, Kota found himself counting down the minutes until it was home time. History was the final lesson of the day and, looking around the classroom, he could see that he wasn't the only one among the students who were eager to leave. The grey clouds blanketed the sky beyond the window to create a dreary atmosphere, making it difficult for even the most diligent worker to focus on the lecture presented before them.

But while the rest of the class had drifted into a state of relaxation, Kota felt tense as he waited in his seat for the final bell. Someone could be in the Subex at that moment, yet he had to finish his schooling for the day.

As Mr Ono's lecture on the Kamakura period continued to fall on deaf ears, Kota silently cursed the situation he was stuck in the middle of. What did he do to deserve this, and what the hell does that guy expect from me?

The cycle of negative thoughts filled his mind until he noticed something move on his desk on the edge of his vision. He lowered his eyes in time to see Akina slide a small piece of paper under his workbook. Written in neat handwriting was a couple of words.

'You alright?'

He could feel his neighbour's concerned eyes on him as he read the note. The beanie-wearing girl must have noticed that how restless he was looking. The Wild card-holder felt bad for making her worry about him, but he was also thankful for the simple gesture.

Kota let out a long sigh, dispelling the nervous energy from his body. He had to shoulder a lot since he arrived at Iwatodai, but he felt better knowing that he had friends that he could rely on, whether he would be at school or fighting Shadows.

Kota was thinking of a reassuring response to the note when his phone vibrated in his pocket. The man he spoke to earlier that day came to mind when he pulled his phone out, but a quick glance at the screen disproved that from being the case. The sender's name was obscured as though the text had been corrupted.

G̶̺̚͠l̸̪͋ì̵̛̟t̴̛̲̤͝c̷̘̻̋̂h̵͙̿̚

Squinting, Kota was able to make out the name. Glitch. How was she able to reach his phone from the Subex? With greater urgency, the boy tapped on the notification to reveal the message.

'Emergency. Please call.'

"Kota?" Oblivious to Akina speaking his name with a hushed tone, Kota instinctively stood up out of his chair. The lesson stopped abruptly as the class turned to the cyan-haired boy, the colour drained from his face. Mr Ono's eyes zeroed in on him from beneath his outdated helmet.

"Mr Isarota. Is there anything you wish to share with the class?" The teacher wasn't particularly pleased with the holdup, having been on a roll with his lecture.

"I-I need to step out for a moment. Family emergency." Using the first excuse that came to mind, Kota was quick to head out the room, not bothering to wait for the teacher's approval. The rest of the class looked after him in confusion as he slid the door behind him.

 _Dammit! It couldn't have happened already._

No longer aware of where he was walking, Kota moved as far as he could from his classroom as he browsed through his phone until he reached a quiet stairwell by the edge of the building. Tapping on the 'call sender' prompt, the phone froze up. It crashed trying to contact Glitch.

Cursing under his breath, Kota tapped furiously at his phone and even tried to restart it without success. After some time, a low humming could be heard from the speaker. Kota brought his ear closer before…

SKRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!

Kota jolted his head away from the device and pointed the speaker away from him as his ear started to ring from the noise. As he rubbed his affected ear, he almost wished that Glitch waited for him to get home so she could use the radio to contact him. In time, the white noise died off to leave a low static sound.

"Do you read me?" As expected, Glitch's voice sounded through the speaker over the continuing static. Kota held the phone over his left ear as he continued to massage the other ear.

"What was all that?"

"I haven't tried communicating via phone before, so I apologise if it's being unreliable." She didn't sound all that apologetic, though it wasn't the time to worry about that.

"Never mind that. What's the emergency?"

"A doorway has appeared at the end of the pier. Another person has fallen through." She was straight to the point, as usual, speaking those same words that Kota had both predicted and feared. The Persona-user let out a settling breath before responding.

"I'll find out who it is and bring you something to get us to them."

"Do be quick about it." The static faded to silence and Glitch was no longer on the line.

Kota's first instinct after the call was to contact Jaden and Akina as soon as possible, however, Glitch's hijacking of the device completely drained its battery. There wasn't any way he could get Jaden and Akina to leave Mr Kanno's class, leaving it up to the possessor of the Wild Card to conduct the preparation for the rescue. Not only did Kota have to find out who was trapped in the Subex, but he would need to identify the key and get his hand on the key that would allow him to reach the victim. There was a lot that needed to be done with the possibility that the person in the Subex could die at any moment.

Kota clenched his teeth in frustration at the thought of the mystery caller from earlier in the day. There's no doubt that he knew something and it was putting people's lives at risk. He would have attempted to call him back but even with a working phone, he wasn't even certain that he could even reach him.

"Kota!" Jaden called out from further down the hallway, running to him with Akina in tow. "What's going on?"

"There wasn't really an issue with your family, right? You looked unsettled before you even got that text." Kota wanted to have some time alone to process everything that had happened in the past few hours, but he knew that it was important that the others heard what Glitch just told him.

"I've gotten word from Glitch…" Jaden's face suddenly became serious while Akina looked at the two uneasily.

"Is that the person from that other world?" Kota lowered his eyes as he prepared to give them the bitter news.

"Someone else has ended up over there."

"Shit, already?" Jaden growled in frustration as Akina suddenly looked pale. "It's barely been a week."

"If you guys need to go back there, then I'm ready to go!" Akina spoke firmly despite that worry that was written on her face. "Whatever you ask of me, I'll be sure to do what I can."

"Thanks, Akina." Kota took a breath to compose himself. He could attend to this 'Noah' once he saves whoever was in the Subex. "The first thing we need to do is find out who it is that needs rescuing. Otherwise, we won't be able to get to them."

"Right." Jaden seemed to have calmed himself down as well as he nodded. "We'll need to get out of here so we can see who they are."

"Do we know where they were before they passed out? We could ask the hospital for anyone that fell unconscious just recently if we knew where they are staying." Akina suggested.

"Even if we knew where they are, the hospital wouldn't just tell us that," Jaden replied glumly. "For us to get anything out of them, we would have to pose as their friend or relative, which we can't do if we don't know their name." Kota and the other remained silent as they pondered over what their next move should be.

"You mean the guy just passed out, for no reason at all?" Kota's ears picked up on another conversation nearby. A couple of male students had stopped by a water fountain not far from the group and were unaware of the eavesdroppers.

"Apparently. My mum called to check up on me, seeing that he goes to our school and all." The shorter of the boys was refilling his water bottle, clearly in no rush to move on.

"If he goes to our school, what was he doing all the way at Korano Strip?"

"He probably skipped class, not that I blame him. I'm really not in the mood to go back." Something immediately clicked in Kota's mind as he heard this. He'd seen someone leave school earlier today.

"If you want to walk out of the school and into a coma as well, be my guest."

"I'd actually consider it if it means that I don't have to listen to more of Mr Edogawa's nonsense." Despite the student's whining, the pair headed back to their classroom once they had finished up. Jaden looked at the pair with a frown while Akina's shoulders tensed up.

"Someone's suffering in that God awful place and those guys are making jokes like that?!" The girl kept her voice down to avoid unwanted attention but the disgust in her voice was impossible to miss. Both her and Jaden had troubling experiences while their Despair had a hold over them.

"I think I know who it is." The heads of his friends turned in his direction. The person could have been anyone that had left early, but he was somehow sure of it. Thinking back to the encounter he had in front of the Principal's office, the negativity that he sensed from the boy felt similar to that of Akina before she fell unconscious.

"It's Zaki Shodaru."


	11. Preparations for the Mission

**Chapter 11: Tuesday 23th April**

"So, we know Shodaru is the one that's in the Subex now. How are we going to get him back?" Akina posed the question as Kota pulled his can of grape soda from the vending machine. Akina was already holding onto a can of oolong tea while Jaden was already downing his lemon soda.

"All we need now is something important to him, like how we used your rabbit doll to reach you."

"I see. So all we need to do now is find whatever that could be." After some time, Jaden parted his lips from the metallic cylinder before letting out a satisfied exhale. "Any ideas, Jaden?"

"I don't have a clue. I doubt he would be the sort to own any stuffed toys." Jaden shook the can in his hand, listening out for any liquid that he might have missed.

"Perhaps he has a friend that we can ask," Kota suggested.

"If this was anyone else we were talking about, it would be possible," Akina responded glumly. "He hasn't exactly got a glowing reputation here."

"I don't know..." Jaden tossed his can in the nearby trash can, earning a funny look from Akina. Seeing recyclable metal be thrown carelessly with the regular rubbish irked her. "He hasn't got any friends in the Soccer Club, but surely there's someone that he spends time with during the breaks."

Thinking back to when he spoke to Zaki earlier that day, he got the impression that it wasn't the first time he saw him. If he wasn't mistaken, he saw the glove-wearing second-year on the way to Jaden's a couple of weeks back. At the time, he wasn't alone.

"Zaki doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?" Kota's classmates looked at him in surprise.

"Someone like him? Surely not!" Akina was quick to shoot down the suggestion, though Jaden grabbed his chin as he pondered on the idea.

"Actually, I think he did bring up someone not being happy with him after he beat up the captain. 'She's not going to like this,' was what I think he said..." Then, his eyes lit up. "That's right! He usually eats with a girl from his class. Remember her, Akina? She works at Wild Duck Burger."

"I've never set foot in there, so how would I know? What's her name?"

"Uhh… I don't know." Jaden looked intensely at the corner of the room as he mentally reached out for details. "She's quiet. Light-coloured hair, wears glasses." He looked back to Akina as waited for her to come up with a name.

"Fushiwada? Now that you mention it, I do remember hearing about how she had been seeing him. Why would she be hanging out with a trouble-maker like him?" As Akina looked thoughtful, Kota stepped in to return her focus to the task at hand.

"Regardless of why she's close to him, we'll need to find her before she leaves the school."

"Right." Jaden gave an enthusiastic nod. "If all goes well, she would be able to point out what we need to help him."

"But we can't tell her about the situation Shodaru's is, can we?" Akina cautioned. "Chances are she wouldn't believe us. And if she did, we'd just worry her."

"That's a fair point." Jaden was a bit sullen, but he had to agree. "I don't think she's the sort that handles stressful situations all that well, so panicking her won't do us any good."

The final bell sounded through the school walls, leading to a large volume of students flooding the halls from their classes. Knowing that the time he had to locate Fushiwada had started ticking down, Kota rushed to finalise the plan.

"So in conclusion, we need to find Fushiwada and have her lead us to the key to Zaki's mind without telling her about the Subex or the danger he's in."

"I have no idea how we're going to manage that," Jaden said with uncertainty, "but we're just going to have to jump in feet-first!"

"This could be our only way to reach Shodaru, so we have to do our best!" Kota smiled as both of his friends got fired up over the mission. Even with a difficult task ahead, he had a feeling that everything was going to work out.

"Alright. Let's move."

* * *

Dodging the teacher as the group grabbed their bags from the classroom took some work, but everyone managed to make it out the front of the school. Unfortunately, the path to the gate was densely populated with students eager to get home before the rain decided to fall from the darkened sky.

"When the heck is it ever this busy?!" Jaden peered over the sea of students from the top of the steps along with his friends.

"Some of the students must be skipping on their club duties. Given the weather, I don't blame them. Anyone able to see Fushiwada?" Akina stood on her toes to give herself a better look. With Fushiwada's light hair, she should stand out relatively easily among the predominantly dark-haired teens. Kota could feel the pressure building over time as people started to funnel through the school gates. If the girl was to leave without Kota or his friends noticing, there might not be another opportunity to talk to her until tomorrow. There was a chance that Zaki won't last that long.

"There seems to be a bit of commotion going on over there." Akina pointed towards a cluster of students standing partway down the path. There were five girls cornering another girl, standing in the way of the school gates. The group moved quickly towards the crowd as they suspected that Fushiwada was involved.

"What was he doing leaving school early? Did he say anything to you?" Kota was able to get close enough to hear one of the preying students interrogate the lone girl. Her light brown hair and purple eyes matched those of the girl he saw with Zaki over a week ago.

"…No. I-I didn't see him all day." She looked uncomfortable with the attention she was getting but didn't provide any resistance to the group's questions.

"How did he end up in the hospital? Was it another fight?"

"Maybe he was taking drugs and he had an overdose."

"H-He can't have…" The girl was getting increasingly upset as questions continued to flood her.

"Looks like we found her." Kota was relieved that she didn't slip through their fingers, but she was getting held up by the mob surrounding her.

"Those students are giving her a hard time. We should get them to stop!" Akina was getting distressed as though she was the one getting harassed.

"You're right. Also, if we get those students out of her hair, she'll be bound to help us out!" Jaden sounded pleased with the development, though Akina clearly wasn't feeling the same way.

"Can we just do it now?!" Emphasising with the quiet girl, Akina hurried the boys into helping her. Kota and Jaden nodded as the three of them approached the crowd.

"Hey, Fushiwada!" Jaden burst obnoxiously through the crowd of gossipers and threw his arm around the girl's shoulder, providing separation between her and the other students. "What's happening?" Fushiwada looked up at Jaden in alarm from the sudden contact as a girl from the crowd expressed her annoyance.

"Do you mind? We're busy here."

"In fact, we do mind." Akina and Kota worked their way to Fushiwada with the former snapping at the gossiper. "We're going to visit Shodaru in the hospital, so we need to be on our way before visiting hours are up." Meanwhile, Kota leaned in towards Fushiwada.

"Let's get going. You'll be alright with us." The girl looked meekly to Kota and gave the slightest of nods.

"…Kay." She spoke quietly but was quick to closely follow Kota as he departed from the crowd with his friends. With some muttering from the preying students, the group dispersed as Fushiwada and the Persona-users left the school ground. The quiet girl remained close to Kota even after the gossipers were out of sight.

"Damn gossipers… surrounding people while badmouthing their friend. It's basically bullying!" Akina was still fuming about what she had witnessed but quickly looked over at Fushiwada sympathetically. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

"It's fine." The group stopped momentarily to exchange words. "They were just curious about Zaki, so I don't blame them. Still, thank you for getting me away from them."

"Heh, you're too kind." Jaden looked pleased with the word of thanks. "It's our pleasure, Fushiwada."

"Uh… K-Kanade's fine."

"Oh? In that case, you can refer to me by my first name too." Akina looked to have quickly warmed up to Kanade as she excitedly gave her the offer. Kanade looked at the beanie-wearing girl.

"Ok. So it's… Akina? I've seen you handing out flyers with the Environmental Club last year."

"Mhm! I didn't think that you would remember."

"And you're Jaden, right? I see you ordering at work a quite often."

"I'm flattered that you knew. Haha!" Jaden appeared to be smitten as he beamed at her. "I make sure to go there whenever you're working the counter. I'm a huge fan of yours."

"You couldn't even remember her name ten minutes ago…" Kota stated plainly.

"Shhhhut up!" Jaden lowered his voice to a hush, though it wasn't necessary as all of Kanade's attention was directed elsewhere.

"Hmm…" The girl stared firmly at Kota's face with her purple eyes, hoping to find a name that could be paired with it. "I-I'm sorry! It's rude of me, not knowing your name!" Kanade seemed upset as she lowered her eyes.

"I-It's fine. I moved here at the beginning of the school year so I didn't expect you to know who I am." Even though Kota knew that he wasn't at any fault, he felt guilty seeing Kanade's sad eyes. "I'm Kota Isarota. It's nice meeting you."

"Oh, okay… It's nice to meet you too." The girl gave a polite bow. "I'm Kanade Fushiwada." She gave a shy smile at him from behind her glasses, making for an adorable image. From the brief time he and his friends had spoken to her, Kota had the impression that there wasn't a single bad bone in her body. He couldn't begin to imagine how she and Zaki became friends, given how he had frequently gotten involved in brawls in the school.

"So, Kanade, are you feeling alright? With Shodaru getting sick, I mean." Akina looked to get a conversation going in the hopes that an opportunity to get to Zaki's Key will come up.

"Not really. I'm worried about him, but I know it will turn out fine. Zaki's gone through some tough times before and has always been able to handle it."

"I'm sure he'll get better soon, knowing that he has someone special like you waiting for him, Kanade." It was unclear whether it was meant to comfort her or a laughable attempt to hit on her, but it immediately drained the colour from her face.

"I'm nothing special, really!" Kanade was in shock as her purple eyes darted between her fellow teenagers. "To him, I'm just a friend. Not special."

"So… you're single?" Jaden asked hopefully as Akina rolled her eyes in disgust before stepping in.

"You'll have to excuse my friend. He's incapable of handling himself when it comes to talking to women."

"I can handle myself just fine!" Jaden snapped defensively. "You're a girl, aren't you?"

"Guys, please." Kota often found enjoyment from the pair's bickering, but they needed to stay focus on the task at hand. The last thing they wanted was for Kanade to start feeling uncomfortable. "I'm sorry if this is making you feel awkward."

"N-not at all. I'm glad that you're willing to accompany me." Kanade seemed a little rattled from the assumption that she and Zaki were a couple.

"Are you going to visit Shodaru now?" Kota brought the conversation back to Zaki knowing that this would be the only way he could reach him in the Subex.

"Yep, though I don't want to go there without giving him anything. I was thinking of getting him a card and the chocolate that he really likes once I tidy his place up."

"Sounds like you have a lot to do," Jaden spoke.

"It is, but I know that Zaki will appreciate it."

"Let us help you out then," Akina offered sweetly. "If you give us the name of the brand, I can get the chocolate for you with the card."

"Are you sure?" Kanade sounded reluctant, but Jaden was quick to insist.

"Yeah, it won't be a problem. I can go with you in the meantime and help with the cleaning." Jaden jumped at the chance to spend some alone time with Kanade, but Akina was quick to intervene.

"Oh, no you won't!" Akina's eyes narrowed as she looked at Jaden with suspicion. "You're helping me with the shopping so I can keep an eye on you."

"Why though? You can't order me around like I'm your pet!" As per usual, Akina ignored Jaden and looked over to Kota.

"Will you be able to handle the cleaning, Kota?"

"Sure I will." Even though it wasn't said directly, Kota knew that finding the key was on him. Having access to Zaki's home would be vital if they were to find anything to help.

"If you're all willing to help, then that will be a huge relief for me." Unaware of the trio's plan, Kanade happily accepted their assistance.

After some more words were exchanged, Akina and Jaden left for the closest convenience store in search for the chocolates, which turned out to be relatively uncommon and infamously sweet amongst other brands. Meanwhile, Kota and Kanade stood idly as other Gekkoukan students passed them by. Nerves looked to be returning to Kanade as she found herself alone with someone who was practically a stranger to her.

"Lead the way," Kota spoke gently as he encouraged the girl to guide her to Zaki's. If Kanade was to change her mind, then Kota will be short on options to save her friend.

"R-Right." Kota could only hope that this would work out as the pair started moving towards the tram stop.

* * *

Kota had to take the train back to Iwatodai with Kanade in order to get to Zaki's. The pair largely travelled in silence, with Kota noticing the girl's nervousness as they walked alone together. He felt that it was on him to strike up a conversation to help put her at ease, but he was never much of a conversationalist. Having returned to the streets of Iwatodai, Kota continued to walk with Kanade, unsure of what to say. Eventually, Kanade was the first to speak up as the crowd surrounding the pair started to thin as they left the station.

"You and your friends… You all seem close."

"We are. I haven't known them for long, but they've been a big help getting me familiar with the city." There was more to it than that, of course, but outside of the Subex and the Shadows that dwelled there, Jaden and Akina have both been extremely supportive since Akina was rescued from her despair. Seeing Kota's face brighten as his thoughts turned to his friends, Kanade smiled gently, though her eyes reflected a degree of sorrowfulness.

"You must be close with Shodaru if you're willing to do this much for him," the blue-haired teen continued.

"This is nothing compared what he's done for me." Kanade looked thoughtfully at the street ahead, as though she was reminiscing about something. "But yeah… I'd like to think that we are." While Kota was somewhat curious about what she was referring to, he didn't want to risk prying into anything unrelated to his preparation for the rescue.

Kota was eventually led to a housing district hidden among the taller buildings in Iwatodai. It was the same area which Akina's family lived in, though he appeared to be on the opposite side. While there were signs of recent development in all directions, the houses that lined the narrow streets were single-story and more traditional in design. Coupled the trees that hung overhead from the odd front garden, the surroundings momentarily convinced Kota that he had left the city.

"By the way, Kanade," Kota spoke over the birds chirping from the trees. "Why is it that you want to clean his house? Wouldn't his parents be able to maintain the place?" The question seemed to have disrupted Kanade from her venture as she slowed to a stop with an uneasy look on her face. She appeared to be so absorbed with some inner debate as she initially didn't take notice of Kota looking at her in confusion. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh!? S-Sorry! It's just…" Kanade looked down at her fidgeting fingers, unsure about how to respond. "Zaki's… parents aren't around anymore. He lived with his grandmother, but she fell ill a while ago. She's in a home so she can be taken care of." Kota blinked, the news of Zaki's family not immediately sinking in. A heavy silence fell over him and Kanade as Kota realised that he was living alone.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be insensitive." Kanade shook her head but wore a pained expression while avoiding her companion's gaze.

"It's okay. You couldn't have known." Kanade raised head and continued walking in the direction of the delinquent's home, allowing Kota to follow her.

The pair continued in awkward silence for several more minutes. Rather than get Kanade talking again, Kota's thoughts fell to Zaki. From his brief encounter with fellow second-year, the possessor of the Wild Card could tell that he was unusual. He seemed to be disconnected from everybody around him, yet he's possibly willing to risk fighting larger students in order to defend other people. He was starting to think that the two of them had more in common than he initially thought.

"This is his place." Kota was pulled from his thoughts as he looked up at the small wooden house behind a rusted gate. A nameplate hanging beside the entranceway read "Yoshino", likely to be the grandmother's family name. The state of the home suggested that the place was both particularly old and poorly maintained.

Kanade led Kota to the front door, unlocking it with the key hidden beneath a nearby potted plant. Leaving their shoes by the entrance, the school students walked through a small hallway, passing the staircase and into the living area, complete with a traditional chabudai table and outdated television, but had nothing else of interest. There wasn't even a single photo, or anything belonging to Zaki. The kitchen was adjacent to the room just to the Kota's left and appeared to be spotless. In fact, the house's interior was quite well-kept in contrast with its exterior.

"It's… tidier than I expected," Kota observed, looking around the room.

"It gets dusty easily, but Zaki keeps it clean otherwise." Kanade grabbed a broom from a cleaning closet just outside the kitchen area. She seemed to know her way around her friend's home. "Are you okay with sweeping the kitchen floor?"

"Sure." It appeared to be an easy enough job with the kitchen area being smaller than average.

"I'll work on wiping the windows in here." Kota was handed the broom as Kanade left the room briefly to fetch her own tools. The amnesiac teen knew from his earlier surveying of the room that there was nothing that would work as a key. He had no option but to try searching the other rooms of the house. Luckily for Kota, Kanade seemed trusting enough to leave him in a room alone. All he would need to do is to give her a reason to let him wander the house by himself.

Kanade returned with a rag and a spray bottle of window-cleaning liquid, making her way to a window at the opposite corner of the room to Kota. Seeing her get to work, Kota decided to start gathering the dirt with the broom. He would have to finish his job before he could explore the house.

"Thank you for everything. Not just for the cleaning, but for getting me away from the other students." Kanade was talking in order to fill the silence that hung over the room. "I would probably still be stuck at the school if you and your friends hadn't stepped in."

"It's our pleasure." A feeling of guilt took a hold of Kota as he and his friends were withholding their intentions from her. As bad as it felt, he knew that it was for her own good.

The two went on to carry out their respective tasks with little chatter. After some standard small talk, Kota decided to take the opportunity to learn what he could about Zaki while he could. There may be a chance that learning about him could help save his life.

"So… What is Shodaru like? He doesn't seem as bad as some people make him out to be." Kanade paused for a moment as she thought of the best way to word her response.

"He's… misunderstood. He doesn't like ignoring the bad stuff that happens when he's around. He acts before thinking often, which causes problems for him."

"Like when he fought with the soccer club captain yesterday?" Kanade turned to Kota in alarm.

"He did that?" Kota sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. He figured that she would have known about it but the surprised look on her face said otherwise. The girl then looked despondent as she downcast her eyes. "That's why he was avoiding me today…"

"The guy was picking on Jaden and Shodaru stepped in," said Kota, frantically trying to justify her friend's actions. "I would have liked it if there wasn't a fight over it, but I'm happy that he stood up for Jaden."

"Don't worry. I know that he never starts fights for no reason." Kanade sounded as though she was somewhat reassured by Kota's words. "I just don't want him to get caught up in any more trouble." Kanade quietly continued wiping the windows, feeling down about the news.

As he cleaned, Kota realised that he never tidied him dormitory outside of his room or the eating area. Having such a large place all to himself creeped him out, but he wondered if giving it a thorough cleaning would help Kota warm up to the place.

Having swept through every corner of the living room, Kota was left with only a small mound of dirt, which he promptly disposed of using the dustpan. Upon seeing Kanade make slow but thorough work of the dusting, Kota knew that that was his opportunity to explore the house for Zaki's key.

Sweeping up the last dirt pile with the dustpan, Kota had finished cleaning the kitchen floor. Kanade still had work to do in the room, giving the boy the opportunity he was waiting for.

"I'm finished over here. Should I move over to the next room?" Kanade looked over at Kota with mild surprise.

"You don't need to. I was only going to have you clean the living area."

"It's okay. I want to show him my gratitude, for helping out my friend." The girl didn't want to take up more of Kota's time than she needed, but she understood Kota's desire to repay him.

"Oh. If that's the case, then that should be fine. You can check the rooms upstairs to see if there's anything that needs tidying." She went back to cleaning the window, taking care not to leave behind any marks on the glass.

"I'm on it." Relief that the plan was going as smoothly as he hoped, Kota headed for the stairs. Now that Kanade was unable to watch him, he could start his search for Zaki's key.

Upon arriving on the second floor, he was quick to poke his head into each of the rooms adjacent to the landing. After finding a few empty rooms, Kota poked his head into a small bedroom. It only contained the bare essentials. A wardrobe, a tidy work desk, a standard bed with a bedside table. There was also a bookshelf containing some old textbooks among other pieces of literature, seemingly the only piece of evidence that the room belonged to Zaki.

Kota stepped over the carpeted flooring and began to pry through the room owner's possessions, checking the desk and shelves first. That feeling of guilty returned to the cyan-hair boy as he searched but he kept going in a hope that he would find what he needed before long. It wasn't until he passed over the bedside table when something caught his eye.

A wooden photo frame was left face down, preventing Kota from seeing what was contained inside. He picked up the frame to find a photograph of two young adults, a man and a woman in their late-20s, with a toddler in the girl's arms. In the background, a home with a lively garden stood tall, seemingly from another city. It quickly became clear to Kota that he was looking at a young Zaki with his parents.

The young boy in the photo looked just like Zaki as he stared rather absently at the camera. The man in the photo had the same sharp facial features as the boy, his green eyes and long black tied back conveying a sense of intelligence from the man. The woman had passed down her blue eyes and dark wavy hair to the child. Her beautiful smile reflected her kind personality as she held her son close to her.

Convinced that it would be enough to save Zaki, Kota removed the photo from the frame and left the wooden object as he found it. He looked at the young family once more, his heart suddenly beginning to ache.

Like the wielder of the Wild Card, Zaki found himself living a life without his parents. It had only been a couple of days more than two weeks, but Kota had already started imaging what his parents would have been like. After hearing from Jaden how his parents ensured that every one of their days off would be spent with their only son, and from Akina about how hers push her to become a better person, Kota had been feeling lonelier than ever whenever he had to come home to his empty dormitory.

Taking the utmost care as though he was handling a piece of fine china, Kota placed the photo in his school bag. A feeling of sorrow welling up within him, the boy went on to tidy the room where he could, though it couldn't pry the mental image of the photo from his mind.

He could only hope that he had the pleasure of remembering what they were like.

* * *

"Thank you very much, everyone. I'm grateful that you took the time to help me." With all of her supplies now in hand, Kanade beamed at the reunited trio as they stood on the train platform in Iwatodai Station.

"It was really nothing." Akina smiled back at the girl, fulfilled after seeing her so happy. "Are you sure you'll be alright to get to the hospital by yourself?"

"I will. Besides, I can't ask you for any more of your help."

"Stay safe then," Kota said kindly.

"I wonder if he'll be alright." A fearful look crept over Kanade's face as she thought about the seriousness of Zaki's condition. "No one seems to know what caused him to pass out all of a sudden."

"He'll be fine." The response was automatic from Kota as he spoke full of belief. "I promise you that he'll wake up." While the promise was effectively meaningless from Kanade's perspective, it didn't fail to relieve her slightly from her worries.

"Thank you…" The bespectacled girl spoke in an emotional whisper as her train pulled into the station. With the announcement of the train's arrival over the loudspeaker, Kanade put on a brave face as she addressed her schoolmates. "I have to go now. Thank you all again for your help."

"We'll see you around, Kanade." Jaden and the others waved after her as she joined the stream of people heading to Tatsumi Port Island. With the girl gone, the group collectively sigh inwardly as the pressure to keep Zaki's true condition secret quickly evaporated.

"We really need to get Shodaru back." Akina nodded at the cyan-haired boy's statement.

"I'd hate to see the look on her face if we fail."

"It's a good thing that's not going to happen." Jaden remained upbeat as he turned to his female friend. "Well, Akina, last chance to flake out on the rescue mission."

"No way." Akina appeared to be more fired up than Kota had ever seen her. "Believe me, I'll be with you all until the bitter end."

"… Let's hope it doesn't come to that," said Kota, uneasy with the thought that any visit to the Subex could be the end of them.

"You managed to get what we need for Shodaru, right?" Jaden turned to Kota before the group got too ahead of themselves.

"Yeah." Kota pulled out the picture of Zaki and his parents. "It was the only photo in his room, so it must be important to him. After all, his parents aren't alive anymore."

"I see…" Akina gazed at the photo "Could that be what led to him falling through to the Subex?"

"Maybe, but we probably won't know until we see him." Kota placed the frame back into his school bag. "Let's head over to my dormitory. Glitch will be waiting for us there."

* * *

After returning to the Iwatodai dormitory with Jaden and Akina, the trio used their Transferals to scan Zaki's photo and enter the Subex after the copy. Glitch was waiting at the front of this world's battered variant of the building as the group stepped out into the torn streets.

"I see that you've gone ahead and dragged another novice into your mission." Glitch stated, eying Akina from beneath her hat, sizing her up.

"Given how we struggled to win that last fight, I think that it will be for the best if we had another fighter," Kota replied honestly. "Akina, this is Glitch. She serves as our guide of sorts in the Subex."

"I can't say that I'll be that good when it comes to fighting, but I promise that it won't stop me from doing what I can to help!" Glitch's gaze remained firm on the smaller girl before giving a slight nod of acknowledgement.

"Well, I'm sure that you won't be as bad as your blonde friend when he last came here."

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Trenchcoat." Jaden's sarcasm was shown plainly on his face as he spoke to Glitch. "By the way, Akina, I have to say you pull off that outfit surprisingly well."

"Huh? It's just the school's uniform. There's nothing spe-" The newly acquired ally in the fight against the Shadows looked down at her clothing. "When did-" Akina cut herself off again once she had a good look at what she was wearing.

Beneath her unzipped black jacket with three-quarter sleeves that only reached down to her mid-section, Akina was wearing a red top that fitted tightly around her torso. The pair of black shorts she was wearing only went part of the way down her thighs, showing off much of her pale legs above her dark combat boots. Akina's black beanie and Transferal were all that was carried over from her usual appearance. Additionally, she wore a pair of fingerless gloves made of dark leather.

"How do I get my clothes back?" Akina pulled the sides of her jacket over her chest in an effort to cover herself as much as possible.

"Don't sweat the small stuff," said Jaden cheerfully. "You'll have blood-thirsty monsters to worry about once we make a move for Shodaru."

"Forget that! I feel like I might die from embarrassment if I have to move around in this!"

"The outfit comes with the territory of having a Persona while you're in the Subex. I don't think you'll be able to change out of it," Kota spoke, simply state what he learned through his own awakening. "It feels strange at first, but it won't get in the way when you have to fight. And as Jaden said, you look great."

"Well… if you say so…" Akina still had a firm hold of her jacket, but she seemed to have found some reassurance in Kota's words as she looked down at herself with a small smile.

"We'll need to travel to the Island in order to reach our target, so we'll have to use these in the interest of time." Wanting to keep the operation moving, Glitch motioned towards the unorthodox-looking chrome bikes. Each one had a set of wheels about three times as wide as the average bike, likely so it could traverse the Subex's jagged terrain. "I call them X-bikes, short for Subex-bikes."

"It's hardly an original name, but it doesn't change the fact that they look sick as!" Jaden exclaimed as he bounded up to the nearest machine for a closer look. The size of the engine and the bike as a whole was unrivalled by anything that could be found on the surface. "Is there anything you can't make?"

"I could go into it, but I would think that you'll be more interested in taking it for a ride."

"You thought right!"

"Hang on a moment," Akina spoke up. "There are only three bikes here. Do you have one more that I can use?" Glitch folded her arms, annoyed that the albino's concern stalled the search for Zaki.

"I only expected two Persona users to be present for the rescue, so no. There's be enough room on each X-bike for two, you can hop on with one of your friends."

"O-Oh…" Fully understanding what sharing a seat would involve, Akina blushed as she gave a bashful look to Kota. On the other hand, the oblivious Wild Card looked at his right-hand man, innocently.

"You want to share, Jaden?"

"Hell no, you moron! If I'm sharing my seat with anyone, it'll have to be a chick." Jaden turned from the bike to look at his friend as though he was some sort of alien. "I'm keen on going a bit crazy with this bad boy, so you should have Akina go with you."

"Huh!?" Akina voiced her shock upon hearing her name being brought up. "Don't I get a say in this!?"

"You don't seriously want to be paired with me, do you?" Jaden eyed her suspiciously as Akina remained quiet, only to give her a smirk. "Just enjoy yourself, yeah?"

"We can't afford to walk to the gateway, so the bikes are the only way to get there," said an impatient Glitch, not able to understand what the issue was. "You could go back if it bothers you so much."

"It's fine… If that's what it takes to help you guys, I'll do it!" Akina started to blush fiercely, too embarrassed to meet Kota's concerned gaze.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Jaden playfully stated. "I'm sure that Kota will drive nice and slow for you."

"That's not the problem!" Akina became flustered once again as Jaden found plenty of amusement from poking fun at her.

"I can't say that I've ridden anything like this before, but I'll be careful with it," Kota said in an effort to reassure her despite his misreading of the situation. "You don't need to worry." Akina was finally about to look him in the face before letting out a relieved laugh. Seeing the boy not stress over sharing the bike calmed her.

"Thanks… I'm already feeling better."

"If you're all finished here, the gateway is waiting for us on the Island." At some point during the discussion, Glitch had mounted her own X-bike and started revving the engine, sounding out a roar over the noises of functioning pistons and gears.

"I'll race you there, Trenchy!" Jaden quickly hopped on his bike, with the machine coming to life the moment he grabbed hold of the handlebars. Kota got on the last of the three bikes as Akina sat behind him, sitting far enough towards the back of the sit to narrowly avoid making physical contact with the driver.

"Just focus on keeping up." With a slight movement of the wrist, Glitch sent the bike forward with enough acceleration for the front wheel to lift well off the ground. She raced off at top speed as Jaden trailed her, moving significantly slower as he tried to get a feel for his X-bike.

Kota made the slightest of movements with his wrist and the bike took off like a bullet, surprising him and his female passenger.

"Ah!" In a desperate effort to keep herself from falling backwards, Akina lunged forward and locked her arms around Kota's chest. The moment he felt his classmate press against his back, Kota's entire body seized up as he briefly forgot to breathe. An unfamiliar though an intense sense of pleasure welled up inside him as his focus begun to waver.

"Y-You doing alright!?" Akina yelled over the loud engine of the bike as she sensed Kota tense up. Her returning nervousness only made her squeeze tighter, putting Kota's head into even more of a spin.

"Tight- I mean, I'm just fine!" Kota felt out of breath as his face begun to emit heat equal to that of what he was feeling on his back.

The ride to the gateway ended up being accompanied by an internal struggle for Kota to keep his mind wandering from the road ahead of him. Though he wouldn't dare admit it to anyone, he was glad that he didn't end up sharing his ride with Jaden.


	12. Climbing the Charcoal Tower

**Chapter 12: Tuesday 23rd of April**

Kota stepped out from the twisted gateway and into a barren wilderness. Zaki's photo of his parents proved to be enough to open the door to his personal Subex. Dry dust kicked up from beneath his shoes as he stepped towards the tall structure that stood alone in the vast, empty landscape.

The wooden tower appeared to be lopsided and far from structurally sound. The building's material was blackened in places as though a massive fire had previously taken hold of it. Looking up, Kota noted that it was around six or seven stories high. If it weren't for the lack of a blowing wind beneath the dark cloud, the Wild Card user would have been worried about the whole thing falling on top of his head.

"Nothing ominous about this," Jaden piped up sarcastically from behind Kota as the rest of the group looked up at the burnt structure.

"Were you hoping for something inviting?" Akina asked. While it was her first visit to the Subex as a Persona-user, she had the impression that the depths of mankind's unconsciousness wouldn't be particularly pleasant.

"Of course. I want to undertake a rescue mission in a puppy playhouse or something like that."

"That person would have to be one disturbing individual if their despair were to materialise as a 'puppy playhouse'," said Glitch.

"I suppose you're right," Jaden sighed, thoroughly disappointed. "I guess I'll have to settle with dark and dreary then."

"If you make this quick, you won't need to stay here any longer than what's necessary." Glitch made her way to the lonely structure in front of the group. "Let's get going."

"Can we be sure that Shodaru's in there?" Jaden spoke up, sounding uneasy. Glitch stopped her advance and took her time to look around the dusty wasteland. It was clear that there was nothing beyond the Subex gate and wooden tower, but the trenchcoat-wearing girl was only humouring him.

"Where else would he be?"

"I'm just saying that this tower looks like it might crumble the moment we step inside." Glitch ignored Jaden as she stepped up to the worn door frame of the structure.

"Remember that our Personas helps us endure damage that would normally be lethal," Kota chimed, looking to settle Jaden. "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt if the roof fell on top of us?"

"You don't sound so sure," said Akina, her blonde friend's paranoia rubbing off on her. Kota and the rest of the group headed for the tower, but not before Glitch fished out a couple of objects from beneath her cloak.

"Here." The denizen of the Subex held out a decorative black collar and a ninja sword with a blade spanning half a forearm in length. "This was all that I could prepare for you while I was waiting for you to by the gateway. By taking these, you are accepting the rescue mission and acknowledge that you will be endangering your life by taking part." Akina was initially reluctant to grasp the sharp weapon, but she accepted it from Glitch along with the collar.

"I know. The guys won't stop reminding me ever since I said that I would help." Akina held up the dark neckwear in front of Glitch, confused. "What is this for?"

"It monitors the power of your Persona. Put simply, it allows me to see your Persona's durability and energy. One of the perks of your power is that your well-being is protected from any lasting damage. If your durability gets too low, your Persona can no longer protect you. Also, if you use your Persona too frequently or it takes damage, then your energy lowers, leading to headaches, dizziness and an eventual loss of consciousness." Akina looked at Glitch wide-eyed, overwhelmed by the thought of managing a power she never used before.

"I feel like this lecture would have been useful when we came here last time," Jaden said as he crossed his arms, showing his displeasure.

"You were so eager to save this one that you didn't want to take the time to hear it," Glitch replied bluntly. "Besides, you don't seem like the sort to enjoy lectures."

"The nerve on this one…" Jaden almost glared at the tall Subex-dweller when Akina let out a shocked gasp.

"W-Where did the weapon go? I was just holding it!" Akina freaked out as she frantically looked around her feet in case she dropped it. The rest of the rescue party watched her, not hiding how unimpressed they were.

"We'll let Glitch explain that one to you." Along with the other two, Kota knew that Akina had just recalled her blade from its material form without realising and was panicking over nothing.

"I'll do so as we walk, otherwise this mission will never end." Akina was confused, but she silently nodded at Glitch. With that, the team finally stepped into the darkness inside the Charcoal Tower.

* * *

Navigating the tower proved to be far from easy thanks largely to the scarce amount of lighting that was available. The flames perched on old wall-mounted torches were too weak to emit enough light to illuminate more than its immediate area. Not only that, but the touches were largely spaced out across the labyrinth, leaving much of the area in inky darkness.

Kota felt the flimsy wooden boards sink slightly under his feet with the odd footstep. While it's not as bad as a floor layered in glass shards, the surrounding darkness made him feel apprehensive as he continued to step into the unknown. Jaden followed Kota closely, also feeling uncomfortable with the unsafe building and poor visibility, while and Glitch and Akina trailed from further back.

"So…" Akina looked around worryingly. "Where are the monsters that you guys talked about?" The lack of lighting in the building was contributing to the girl's feeling of dread.

"The Shadows?" Jaden confirmed as he looked over his shoulder. "The smaller ones that wander around the labyrinth aren't all that tough. As long as Kota and I are here, you'll be able to try out your Persona without much of a worry."

"I'm not sure how I would use it though." Akina appeared tense ever since the group entered the burnt building. Her anticipation for an attack from bloodthirsty monsters and inexperience with her Persona were gnawing at her. Kota spoke up in hope that it would ease her anxiety.

"Controlling it kind of just… comes to you. Almost like it's second nature."

"Just don't get caught overthinking your actions when things get real," Jaden chimed. "You'll just end up standing around like a deer in headlights."

"How so?" Glitch tilted her head curiously. "I don't know of any Shadows that have morphing skills."

"It's a figure of speech, Glitch." Jaden, sighed in annoyance. He'd forgotten that the mysterious Subex resident only interpreted words literally. "You really need to get out more."

"It's not like I can just leave the Subex whenever I feel like it." Kota noticed a hint of frustration in the usually stoic girl's words. Before Kota could ponder on the meaning behind them, the surrounding flames suddenly intensified, coming to life. Light spread more widely across the halls, though darkness still resided over spots of the labyrinth. Glitch was able to regain her composure as she spoke in a toneless manner.

"Enemies incoming."

"There are? Where are- Oof!" Jaden was cut off by a large canine creature leaping into him from the darkness to his right. The Shadow was the size of a large dog with its midnight-coloured fur appearing to be singed with bold patches appearing on various places around its body.

Now fully alert, Kota was able to make out a pair of yellow glowing eyes from the darkness in front of him.

"Phoenix! **Feather Strike!** " With the swift grasp of the Sun coin, the fiery bird creature appeared between Kota and the charging enemy. Just as the snarling beast made its way into the light, Phoenix twirled gracefully in the air, shooting out a solitary blazing feather from under its wing. The small projectile sliced through the air so quickly that it was hard to follow with the human eye. Hitting the approaching enemy square on its chest, the feather dissolved into a fiery combustion, blowing the canine Shadow back into the darkness with a yelp.

"Looks like you got your Puppy Playhouse after all." Meanwhile, Glitch watched on as the first dog Shadow kept Jaden pinned to the ground.

"You kidding me? These things are probably diseased!" The Shadow's jaws were chomping mere inches from Jaden's face as the blonde used all his strength to hold the beast back. "Get it off!"

"Go! Dante!" Without further hesitation, Kota sent his original Persona out to the fray. The one-eyed swordsman lunged towards the Shadow and connected an upward slash to the dog's midsection. It howled in pain as the enemy was knocked off of Jaden with the painful blow.

" **Agi!** " With his arms free, Jaden was able to clutch his own coin to summon Mercury. The gold-plated warrior launched a fireball from his mace where it engulfed the Shadow as it hit the ground. It gave one final cry before the beast melted into the wooden flooring.

Kota was relieved as Jaden picked himself up off the ground painlessly, though it kept his attention from the immediate threat. Having recovered from the first strike, the other canine Shadow bee-lined towards the cyan-haired boy. This time, it charged towards the boy's left. Not only was it directly opposite to where Akina and Glitch stood, but it was Kota's blind side as he wielded his weapon with his right hand.

Without enough time to evade or respond with a counter, Kota held his blade out between himself and the barking monster as it leapt at him with outstretched claws.

"Daena!" The shattering sound of a Persona summoning was swiftly followed by a humming noise that rose in pitch as Kota prepared to endure the incoming attack. A gunshot sound echoed through the dark halls as an icy-blue projectile sped dangerously close to Kota's right ear and into his field of vision. The Shadow a split-second away from landing its attack before the fired bullet hit the beast in its neck.

The canine beast's barks stopped abruptly as the shot pierced through its body, turning it into a pile of black ooze that collapsed at Kota's feet and slowly sunk through the cracks of the wooden floorboards. The boy's ear was left ringing as Kota could only blink after seeing the enemy get obliterated before his eyes.

"Damn…" Not much further away, Jaden made it clear that he was impressed by the decisive blow.

"We're clear." Kota was still shaken by the near miss as Glitch confirmed the team's safety. The sword-wielder turned stiffly toward the direction of the shot, finding that a familiar silver-haired riflelady was the source of the attack. With hot steam filtering out from the firearm from the vents on either side of the gun, the Persona dressed in red lowered her weapon before vanishing. Akina stood close by with a stern look on her face, her index and middle fingers pointing at where the Shadow took its fatal strike.

After remaining still like a statue for another moment, the realisation of her actions finally sunk in for the small girl as she quickly lowered her arm and looked at Kota with worry.

"I'm sorry! I almost hit you by mistake."

"N-No harm done." Kota recalled his great sword and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead with his sleeve as he composed himself. "Your Persona's strong…"

"Thanks." Akina smiled, though she lowered her eyes from her friend, slightly embarrassed by the praise. "I'm just happy that I can be of use to you guys."

"You're going to be alright after all." Jaden rested a hand on his hip as he turned to the spot where the Shadow was before it turned into a liquid pile of goo. "As for us, I'd hate to find out what it's like to be on the wrong side of those attacks." Akina laughed nervously as she sheepishly pulled the edge of her beanie down her forehead.

"I-I'll be careful. I promise."

* * *

"Ha!" Kota swung his great sword downwards, severing the target's wing for its body. The Shadow let out a final ear-splitting screech as it's burn-inflicted body crumpled to dust before it hit the ground. With yet another bat-like Shadow being stain by Kota's blade, the boy panted, his arms feeling heavy as the lighting in the tower dimmed one again.

Compared to the last time he battled through groups of Shadows, the cyan-haired kid had hit with enemy attacks a lot more frequently. There were a few factors that made fighting difficult, including the poor viability in the maze-like structure and the Shadows overall being much faster than the one in the Hall of Mirrors. To Kota, the most impactful cause was the difficulty he was having with his multiple Personas.

After the numerous engagement he had with the ambushing Shadows, he was able to pin down the strengths and weaknesses of both Phoenix and Pairika. However, the battle always moved at a pace that was too quick for the bearer of the Wild Card to keep up. In an instant, he would want to call on Pairika for her reliable long-range spells, only to find that he needed to use Phoenix's multi-target attacks.

"Be careful not get hit so much!" Noticing exhaustion's hold on Kota, Akina approached the boy. She appeared annoyed, but she couldn't hide the worry she had for him. Without any further words, Akina conjured her coin in front of her before gently grasping it and pulling both her hands towards her chest. "Dia."

With her rifle strapped to her back, Daena appeared before Kota and held out her arms with glove-covered palms pointed towards Kota. This became a familiar sight for Kota as he felt the majority of his stamina return to him. The masked lady retreated again as the recipient looked to Akina apologetically.

"Sorry, I'll be sure to do better next time." Almost ashamed of himself, Kota felt guilty for having her heal him so often. He was meant to be setting an example for his newest comrade. "Are you feeling alright? You're looking a little tired." His feelings of self-pity were quickly cast aside once he noticed Akina momentarily space out.

"I'm fine! I can keep going." Despite her denial, Akina gasped in discomfort and rubbed the temple of her skull with closed eyes as though she was battling through a migraine.

"Maybe, but you'll need to give yourself plenty of rest." Glitch spoke with reason as she crossed her arms, not impressed by the healer's attempt to ignore her body's plea for a break. "You've been heavily reliant on your Persona's skills to fight and it's taking its toll on you." Unlike the boys, Akina had been relying entirely on her Persona for her attacks. The large dagger only served as a last resort for when a Shadow happened to get too close for her long-ranged attacks to be of use. Combined with the amount of healing that she was required to do, it was clear that Akina was under the effects of using her Persona excessively.

"Fine…" Akina begrudgingly took a seat on the creaky floor, propping her back against the wall. The torch nearby wasn't any brighter than the others that lined the halls, but it made the spot as good as any to take a rest. "I'm sorry that I'm holding you guys up."

"Don't apologise. If anything, it's our fault for relying on your healing abilities so much." Happy with the chance to rest his legs, Jaden dropped down to the floor across from her. As opposed to Kota, Jaden appeared to be more comfortable with his Persona in comparison with when he fought the first time. Still, the darkness within the tower made it difficult to defend again Shadow attacks, causing him to have his fair share of hits to withstand.

"Jaden's right. We couldn't have made it this far without your help," said Kota, quick to back Jaden up as gave Akina a look of gratitude.

"I'm sure that I'm not all that great… but it still makes me happy to hear it." Unsure of how to accept his praise, Akina partially buried her face in her knees. Kota could make out a small smile as the slight shade of red that formed over her cheeks. He had to admit that she looked… cute.

Flashes of Akina's awakening came to the forefront of his mind again. The thought of Kota awkwardly calling her cute after Jaden put him on the spot caused the boy to hide his face in his hand to prevent anyone from seeing the heat rise to his own cheeks. In his mind, he hasn't fully forgiven Jaden for that stunt but at least now he was more certain that he was telling the truth that day.

"So, I've been thinking…" Not content with the creepy silence that was taking place outside of Kota's head, Jaden spoke up. "The Shadows felt like they're a bit tougher than when we fought them the other day, right?"

"Yeah." With the discussion freeing him from his thoughts, Kota lowered his arm and calmly responded.

"So, why don't we try experimenting with what our Personas can do? Something like fusion attacks!"

"Is it really a good idea to mimic the stuff you see in anime?" Akina stretched her legs out in front of her, revealing the doubtful look on her face.

"If I could interject, I would say it's a bad idea." Not surprisingly, Glitch was firmly against the music-lover's suggestion. "You've both gotten stronger, but not strong enough where you can mess around with your Personas. You could end up causing more trouble for yourselves."

"Come on! Have a bit of faith in us," Jaden retorted, glaring at the group's guide as though she was intentionally ruining his fun. "Anyway, Kota." The blonde turned to his close friend. "What would you say the source of your Persona's strength is?"

"My will to protect people who are in need of help… I guess?" Kota spouted the first thing that came to him. He rubbed the back of his neck realising how silly he must have sounded.

"Not… exactly what I had in mind." Jaden looked disappointed for a fleeting moment before the enthusiasm returned to him. "Think, friendship!"

"Well, that was a lot lamer than I expected," Akina remarked, clearly unimpressed with where the conversation was going. Still, Jaden ignored her comment and continued.

"When we go into battle, we do so side-by-side. When we fight, we do what we can to protect the other person before ourselves. With each battle, the ties of friendship grow along with our strength!"

"You've got a point…" While it was hard to match his friend's level of vigour, Kota couldn't bring himself to dispute him.

"You see! So what better way to draw out all our strength than a combined attack?" The question caused Kota to widen his eyes, his mouth agape as though a door had opened to an ocean of possibilities that he hadn't even considered before.

"A Super-Mega-Double-Awesome attack!"

"Now you're seeing the bigger picture!" The boys' eyes lit up as the least-experienced fighter of the group grimaced.

"I've got a bad feeling about this…" Not intentionally directing her words to anyone, Akina looked down at her boots. Beside her, Glitch turned to the resting girl.

"Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much." Akina couldn't keep the pained expression off her face as she replied frankly.

"You have my sympathy." Glitch's face softened, truly feeling sorry for her putting up with the pair of oddballs.

"I'm actually getting all fired up!" Jaden leapt to his feet, inspired to continue the climb up the building. "Let's go! Shodaru is waiting for us!" Kota nodded, bearing the same fire in his eyes before the pair continued down the corridor with renewed energy.

"Looks like break time's over, huh?" With a sigh, Akina leaned on the wall to help herself to her feet.

"No need to fret. They're so eager to fight that they wouldn't notice if you merely follow them." Looking after her goofball friends, Akina put her hands on her hips and shook her head in amazement, though she couldn't help but crack a smile.

"You're probably right."

* * *

Many of the fights that the group encountered after their break was won with ease in caparison to when they started their trek. Kota managed to draw in some excitement from the thought of executing Jaden's idea, though he and Jaden would get so carried away with their battle that they would defeat the oncoming Shadows before they had the opportunity. Akina, on the other hand, mainly spectated in the majority of encounters due to how quickly the boys handled their opponents. She appreciated them shouldering the bulk of the work as she steadily recovered from her exhaustion.

"Alright!" Jaden fist pumped the air with an abundance of vigour as Mercury quickly dispatched another smoke-emitting serpent. Feeling more at ease, Akina chuckled at her blonde classmate.

"Don't get so carried away. It's making you do a bunch of corny victory poses."

"Corny?!" Jaden was appalled by Akina's choice of words. "What do you call this then?" He mockingly raised his arm towards the girl, pointing at her face with his finger shaped like a pistol, identical to the same fashion that she sometimes uses.

"It's not a pose!" Akina bashfully slapped Jaden's arm away from her. "I only do it to channel my energy better!"

"Don't be ruining her fun, Jaden." Kota chided his friend for his teasing, though Akina was the one to respond bitterly.

"It's not for fun!" Akina pouted as she was of the belief that the two guys were ganging up on her. "Were you two even listening?"

"Settle down, you lot." Glitch sighed as she crossed her arms. "I never thought that a bunch of kids fighting for their lives against blood-thirsty Shadows could be so lively…"

"Beats being gloomy about the whole thing." Jaden was practically beaming as he rested his hands behind his head. "Don't you think we've been fighting better since we've been trying to pull off that combined attack?"

"I will say that the last few fights have gone a lot more smoothly. Though I would think that it's a result of your leader getting a handle on using multiple Personas."

"Uh… leader?" Kota momentarily questioned who Glitch was referring to as the group never formally elected a leader, but the mention of 'multiple Personas' meant she could only be talking about him. "Oh, you're mistaken. I'm not a leader."

"You sure?" Jaden almost frowned out of disbelief. "You've been the one directing us when it came to doing the prep work and the rescues. Not to mention that you're probably the best fighter out of all of us."

"I just assumed that you had taken up the role, seeing that you were the first to obtain your Persona." Akina also seemed confused by Kota's claim. "I can't really put my finger on it, but fighting alongside you puts me at ease... like I'm able to feed off your determination." The red-eyed girl smiled pleasantly at Kota. "I don't think I'd be anywhere near as confident with Daena if it weren't for that." Jaden nodded his head in agreement with his ally's words.

"That's… very kind of both of you to say." While he felt like his friends were overestimating him, Kota felt that it would be rude if he was to dispute them.

"Don't let the thought of bearing a title weigh you down." Like throwing cold water over the discussion, Glitch spoke honestly amongst the praise. "Whenever you're reluctant or overthinking things, you seem to lose your edge in battle. That was the cause for your sluggish start to the mission, was it not?" Thinking seriously about Glitch's observation, it did make a lot of sense to the Wild Card holder.

When Kota stopped trying to ponder about which Persona would serve him best for every new development during his fights, he felt as though the pace of the battle slowed down drastically. With his thoughts set firmly on fighting beside Jaden with perfect synergy, the teen's instincts drove his responses to the split-second decisions he had to make. While it wasn't quite failsafe, it served him well against the weaker Shadows the team had encountered by that point.

"No. I think you're right." Kota showed Glitch his appreciation with a gentle smile. "Thanks, Glitch."

"Just be sure to keep it up." The tall guide tried to wave off the boy's thanks, preferring to keep everyone's focus on the mission.

Venturing down a few more previously unseen corridors, Kota and the others turned the next corner to find a stretch of darkness spanning the entire length of a longer, wider hallway than they've gotten used to. Without any lit torches, he couldn't even make out where the walls stood or whether there was any flooring to walk over.

"Look! I can see the stairs." Akina's gaze led Kota's own eyes to the dimly lit area on the opposite side of the darkness. There were small flames burning over a set of rickety steps, beckoning the group towards their goal.

"By my estimation, that should be the final floor. Tread carefully." Glitch grasped her dual naginata firmly in her hand. Like the girl from the Subex, Kota anticipated another Shadow ambush and conjured his great sword.

With a nod shared between him and Jaden, the boys took point as the crew stepped out of the light. The cyan-haired boy kept his eyes firmly on the illuminated steps as it moved ever so slightly closer with each step. It was impossible to see anything else under the blanket of darkness, but Kota could hear the creaking footsteps of his allies as they walked in a line towards their goal.

"Stop!" Almost halfway through the corridor, Glitch sternly ordered the group to halt their progress. As they did, Kota thought he heard something in the pitch-black halls but couldn't make out what it was or where exactly it came from. The teenager raised his weapon at the ready as he strained his ears in hopes of picking up any other sounds.

The silent moments remained tense, with Kota sensing his friends around and everyone waited for whatever was lurking around them to make a move. Then, Kota could make out something moving towards the group as it eclipsed the lighting at the end of the hall.

"Ha!" Letting his instincts take the reins once again, Kota dove to his left to avoid whatever was hurled in his direction. It happened so suddenly that he wasn't able to warn everyone else, though he was able to confirm that the rest of the party made similar evasive actions by the sounds of multiple bodies hitting the hard flooring.

"Is anyone hurt?" Finding his feet through his sense of touch rather than sight, Kota called out into the darkness. He heard the grunts of his friends as they had, assumingly, got to their feet.

"I'm alright!" Akina sounded startled as she responded from somewhere else in the hallway. "But…" As her voice trailed off, the sound of chirping echoed through the chamber. Initially, it just sounded like there was just one creature in the room, but the chirps started to overlap with each other.

"Not good." Glitch seemed to understand the danger they've found themselves in before anyone else.

"Mercury!" Kota was able to see Jaden's armoured Persona in the distance through the faint glow it emitted. The warrior fired a clear fireball through the mace it pointed towards the ceiling, travelling in the air until it burst mid-flight, showering the area with the much-welcomed light.

The sight it unveiled, however, was far less welcome. Separating the group members from each other was an incredibly large swarm of blood-thirsty Bat Shadows, each one sporting milky white eyes and fangs that were too large for their mouths. They may have been relatively small for Shadows and were not all that durable, but they outnumbered Kota's group 10-to-1, at least.

"There's so many!" With the cover of darkness being lifted, the multiple tens of Bat Shadows closed in on each of the Persona-users, every one isolated and unable to support one another. "Dante!" Understanding that he would be doing much of the fight in close-quarters, Kota called on his longest-serving companion to slash the closest bat with his sword.

The blade sliced through the Shadow like it was as soft as butter, the remains dissolving into goo almost instantly. With one enemy defeated, three more rapidly closed in on Kota, their thick skulls pointed squarely at him. The boy successfully evaded the first and deflected the second with his sword, however, the third Shadow closed in on his left side at too great a speed for Kota to protect himself from its attack. The bat monster struck under his arm, just missing his heart.

"Gah!" Kota shouted in pain as he felt his ribs give way to the deceivingly powerful blow. His body reverted back to its original state a few seconds later, but the pain still lingered as he continued to weather the Shadow assault.

"Tch! Damn rodents!" Glancing over at his companions when he can, Kota could see that Jaden was having a similar amount of difficulty with another cluster of Shadows that were relentlessly hurling themselves at the blonde. While he was having a harder time picking off the Shadows, his greater agility helped him evade the attacks more easily than Kota could.

" **Bufu!** " Caught out in an unfamiliar situation, Akina had Daena conjure a projectile of ice during her close-range battle. The girl started to panic as she launched spell after spell, many of them missing their intended targets. Eventually, Akina grew exhausted from the rapid use of her Persona and the bats started to completely overwhelm her. One of the Shadows was able to swoop in on her right and chomp down on Akina's outstretched arm with its sharp fangs and a jaw strong enough to crush bones with a single bite.

"Ah!" The pain made the red-eyed girl instinctively drop her dagger. With the bat still latching on to her arm, Daena appeared beside Akina and promptly vaporised the Shadow with a point-blank shot of her rifle.

Seeing the fight unfold during the odd moment of reprieve, Kota realised that the girl was on her last legs. Jaden didn't seem to notice as he continued to narrowly weave through more advances from the Shadows and even Glitch had her own smaller group of bats that contested her, though there were too few to do anything more than preoccupy her.

Foreseeing an ill-fated end if he didn't do anything, Kota was caught in a panic with his sole concern being getting to Akina.

" **Repulsive Burst!** " Calling on Dante's power, a wave of wind shot out from Kota in all directions knocking back advancing Shadows mercilessly. With the surrounding enemies on the ground, the Wild Card sprinted in Akina's direction.

Just as Kota broke free of the Shadows he was previously fighting, he saw one of the Shadows Akina was fighting land a headbutt squarely in the girl's sternum. With a cry of pain, she was knocked backwards off her feet. Rather than the heavily worn floorboards, what lay directly behind her was a giant hole leading to complete darkness that not even Jaden's flair could illuminate. The Shadows were able to corral her in front of the hazard, knowing that it would be handy in separating her from the group or even finishing her off for good.

"No!" With a greater sense of urgency, Kota quickened the pace. Sensing oncoming enemy, many of the Shadows that were fighting Akina turned to Kota with the intent of stopping him. Instead of slowing down and acknowledging the creatures in his way, Kota had Dante appear once more to soar beside him, cutting down anything in its way before they could react.

Just as Akina's next backward step went over the edge, Kota reached out to her and was able to grab the girl's outstretched arm just in time. Kota went to ground to prevent his momentum from throwing himself into the hole as the distressed girl dangled from his arm.

"I've got you!" Kota's exclamation helped let his fear for the worse subside as he looked down at the small girl.

"Kota…" Akina's eyes looked to have started welling up, displaying the intense emotions that surfaced from the near-death moment. Her grip on her saviour's arm was so tight that it would have let a mark if it wasn't for Kota's regenerating body. With the help of Dante's wind manipulation, Akina was pulled back up to solid ground. Just as Kota started to relax, however, one of the nearby Shadows had recovered from the knockdown and shot towards Kota, aiming for the hole once again.

Not a moment too soon, a leather-clad blonde leap in the way and delivered a fatal blow from his frail to the encroaching enemy. Jaden stayed vigilant of his surrounding as his friends got to their feet, not sporting his usual smirk as the fight turned serious with the close call.

"We can exchange thanks later. We've got to clear out all these damn Shadows!"

"Right." Concerned, Kota turned to Akina. "Are you still alright to fight?"

"O-Of course!" The long-range fighter was heavily shaken from the whole ordeal but put on a brave face as she readied herself for a Persona summon. "I'll be fine now that you two are here." Kota nodded before rushing up beside Jaden with his sword ready.

"Let's push forward so we can get away from the hole!"

With the team reunited, the Shadows were only a fraction of the threat that they had previously posed. They had successfully moved away from danger and linked up with Glitch once the creatures were getting pushed back, but the Shadows were still relentless with their offence and more kept appearing to replace the ones that were defeated.

"Geez. Is there going to be an end to these things?" Jaden grew frustrated as he became exhausted from fending off the endless stream of bats.

"If you guys keep this up, not likely." Staying closer to Akina than normal due to the need of maintaining a tight formation, Glitch's gaze scanned the large mass of enemies before catching a glimpse of something out of the ordinary. "Thought so…"

"Glitch?" Noticing that the team's guide had come to a realisation, Kota called her to fill everyone in.

"There's a Queen Shadow past this upcoming wave. So long as it's alive, the Queen will rally more minor Shadows in order to stop us."

"And just when I thought that things were getting too easy…" Jaden had a sour look on his face as he had Mercury launch another flair to keep the hall sufficiently lit.

"If that's the case, we can't keep holding our ground." Kota pointed his sword ahead of him, preparing himself for the squad's next move. "Let's push forward."

"Right!" Akina and Jaden responded in unison as they followed their leader, charging into the mass of winged enemies.

" **Drawing Gust!** " Catching a pair of Shadows off-guard, Kota made use of a powerful wave of wind to throw the to-be-victims towards Dante and be greeted by the upward slash of the Persona's blade.

" **Scorch Break!** " Covering Kota's blind spot, Jaden had Mercury conjure a spinning wheel of flames the size of his torso and let it loose towards a crowd of bats. Those that were unlucky enough to get caught in its path were incinerated on contact as the wheel

"Keep it up, guys!" Akina cheered from behind the boys as she accurately picked off the Shadows that moved in for a counter-attack with her ice spells.

The trio continued to push through the Shadows' wall formation, utilising various different moves to keep them guessing which form of offence was going to be used next. Soon, after taking heavy losses over such a short period, the Shadows fell back and regrouped with a giant Shadow that was about six times bigger than its minions.

"That large one over there seems to be the culprit." The Queen let out an unsavoury screech in response to Kota's observation, looking to intimidate the group of Persona-users.

"I'll handle it. Daena!" Eager to redeem herself, Akina called for her Persona, who already had her rifle trained on the large enemy. " **Charge Level 1: Piercing Snipe!** " Just as Kota had previously seen a dozen times already, Daena charged her rifle before firing a lightning-quick round towards the Queen's chest.

Anticipating the distant attack, the giant bat beat its wings, fanning strong winds into the speeding bullet. The shot was slowed by the sudden spike in resistance, allowing the Shadow to evade it as it harmlessly passed the Queen by.

"Curses! That thing's quick. If I could get just a little closer…"

"Don't worry about it, Akina. We can take care of the overgrown pest." Sensing the momentum of the fight in their favour despite the appearance of the Queen, Jaden's smirk returned as stared down the trouble-making Shadow.

"Wait! Are you two sure about this?" The blonde gave Akina a thumbs-up for reassurance.

"Absolutely! Just be sure to cover us, yeah?"

"We're counting on you," Kota encouraged as he shared a nod with Jaden before racing into the fray.

"You guys!" Akina's teammates had already charged forward before she could get another word in. Even if she was happy with Jaden and Kota taking the Queen on without her, she had to handle the small fry that were converging on the pair. "Persona! **Crystal Volley!** "

When Daena appeared this time, she had her rifle strapped to her back as she focused her next magical powers into the upcoming attack. Tens of sharp icicles were conjured instantaneously, pointing squarely at the horde of Bat Shadows. With the point of Daena's finger, the ice projectiles sailed over Kota and Jaden's heads as they rained on the airborne enemies. The spell proved to be effective on the bats, riddling them with holes before disintegrating by the dozens.

"Nice." Jaden took the time to admire Daena's destructive power before returning his focus to the main target. "You're going down, ugly!" Despite the usual smack talk that the half-brit was known to do, he had an abnormal amount of intensity in his eyes as they bore into the Queen Shadow. It's meddling almost put an end to both of his friends' lives and Jaden wanted nothing more than to get rid of the monster for good.

To answer the approaching threats, the Queen sounded a powerful screech that made the boys' eardrums vibrate painfully. The ear-piercing sound was able to dampen the pairs senses, causing them to feel disoriented and forcing them to halt their charge. With the fighters left in a vulnerable state, the Queen chose to beat its great wings again with the intention of flooring the pursuers.

"Urk!" Jaden stumbled to his knee after being knocked off balance while Kota braced himself just as the powerful gusts passed him by. It proved to be moot, however, as Kota was still a sitting duck for the large number of Shadows zeroing in on him and Jaden. But before they were able to get too close, another barrage of icy projectiles tore them all apart.

Even with his ears ringing, Kota could tell that Akina followed up with the same attack as earlier. With the icicle's reach this time extending over to the Queen, the large Shadow was forced to stop its verbal cry and dive beneath the projectiles, keeping itself just above the wooden flooring. Shaking off the cry's influence over him, Kota waited for the Queen to stop moving in preparation for another debilitating assault on his eardrums before swiftly countering.

"Pairika! **Stalagmite!** " The winged, dark-haired Persona appeared with her uncovered eye focusing on the ground beneath the target. With just a click of her fingers, a rock with the formation of a pointed spear burst through the floorboards and accelerated into the unsuspecting Queen. Unable to see the pillar of earth rising up from below, the oversized Shadow was struck by the attack, stunning it as it collapsed to the ground.

"That's how it's done!" Witnessing the downing blow, Jaden got to feet with renewed energy. "Let's give this our all!"

"Of course!" Kota ran for a final push alongside Jaden, both fighters holding their respective weapons ready.

"Now, for the ultimate strike!" The boys yelled in unison as they hit the staggered bat with all their might, knocking it back into the air. To follow up, Dante and Mercury was sent after the Queen, channelling their power through their weapons. The powerful aura that was being generated from the two beings grew around them until they joined together as one. " **Super-Duper-Mega-Hyper-Double-Aweso-** "

Partway through Kota and Jaden's incantation, the combined power that was building between their Personas suddenly collapsed in on itself, resulting in a large explosion that engulfed both of the Personas and the unfortunate Shadow. The nearby Persona-users yelled in pain as they found themselves caught in the huge blast.

"Kota! Jaden!" Akina's cries were drowned out by the booming explosion as the bright light it emitted blinded her and Glitch as they tried watching from a safe distance. As the shockwaves started to subside and the light faded away, Akina opened her eyes to find nothing but darkness. There wasn't a single sound that carried through the hall that could confirm that anyone had survived the blast.

Just as she started to fear for her friends, the torches mounted on the wall lit themselves, bathing the room with light. The spot where the Queen Shadow was last spotted was replaced with a giant hole in the floor, indicating where the explosion took place. Laying just before the edge of the hole, two teenagers were staring up at the ceiling above them, unmoving but alive as shown by their heavy breathing.

"That… wasn't what I was hoping for…" Jaden remained still as he spoke in a breathless manner. Beside him, Kota turned his head slightly towards the blonde.

"Do you think it's because we used too many words for the attack?" Jaden scoffed at Kota's question, not entertaining the idea for a second.

"Can't be. It's a shame though, we barely got to use half of them." Jaden looked to the grounded classmate, meeting his gaze. "But, hey, it got the job done." Jaden raised his fist, pointing it towards his friend.

"I guess it did." Kota met Jaden's fist with his own, feeling satisfied with the partial success of their combined attack. The moment was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a dagger being thrown between the boys, its sharp point embedded in floorboards.

"Eek!" Jaden shirked in surprise as Akina stood over him and Kota, giving off a menacing aura.

"The hell were you two trying to pull by blowing yourselves up like that!" Her fiery eyes cut through the boys, displaying a storm of emotions unlike anything Kota had ever seen from her. "If you wanted to scare me half to death, then you sure as hell succeeded!"

"W-We didn't mean for it to turn out like this!" Jaden claimed, looking to save himself from the girl's wrath. "On the bright side… we won, right?"

"You could say that, but the result came down to sheer luck," Glitch highlighted as she sternly crossed her arms. "What if the Queen was able to withstand your improvised attack, or if you both lost consciousness? Neither of you should be feeling proud of yourselves." Meanwhile, Akina couldn't bring herself to look at the boys, the hurt showing clearly now that her rage had subsided somewhat.

"I'd have half a mind to not bother healing either of you after that…"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kota brought himself up to his knees, saddened to see her in that state because of his recklessness. "I got so caught up in trying to get the most out of my strength that I didn't realise how stupid it was. It won't happen again."

"Well… you did save me earlier…" Akina muttered to herself before reluctantly facing her classmate. "Fine. I'll make an exception for you this one time."

"Wait, just him!?" As Daena worked her magic on Kota, Jaden had an outburst as he got himself up on his fours. "If I didn't step in when I did, you both would have ended up in that hole! I deserve some credit too!" Not letting her stubbornness get in the way of the blonde's well-being, Akina sighed and had Daena heal Jaden as well. Visibly upset, the girl turned her back on the group and walked away, seeking some time to herself.

"Akina…" Kota looked after her, filled with guilt but unsure of what he would say to her.

"She's had a rough couple of minutes. She saw the people she cares for getting hit with a large explosion after they just saved her." Glitch spoke in her familiar matter-of-fact manner, though there was a hint of sympathy that carried through her words. "The girl's overwhelmed because for a moment there, she thought that she wouldn't be able to thank you both. If you're worried that she hates you now, don't be. That's not the case."

"If that's so, I'm glad." Kota smiled for a brief moment, taking comfort in Glitch's observation. "But you surprised me. You're actually pretty sharp when it comes to understanding other people."

"Don't think too much of it…" Glitch was quick to disregard Kota's own observation. "I… was just able to tell how much you both mean to her. Even if you both don't deserve to have her looking out for you two."

"After what we just did, I guess I can't argue with that." Letting Akina's displeasure of their strategy sinking in, Jaden became discouraged after being so pleased earlier. "I was just hoping to find the best way to save Shodaru while protecting everyone else. I was sure that that was the answer…"

"You're not entirely wrong." Surprising both Persona-users once more, Glitch spoke to the teenagers' astonished looks. "Sure, just throwing your Personas' attacks together can be too unstable to serve any practical use in battle, but the chemistry the three of you displayed in the lead up to the attack was what has made our venture so successful up to this point." Kota blinked as Jaden let his mouth drop slightly as the two were in shock with the encouragement from the supposedly cold and distant Subex-dweller.

"If you would both excuse me, I'll be checking up on your friend to see if she's ready to keep moving." Weirded out by the stares she was getting, Glitch left the pair and went after Akina. Jaden crossed his arms, looking after her in awe.

"You don't think Glitch took any head knocks during that last skirmish, do you?" Kota smirked at his friend's theory behind this "new" Glitch, but he had a feeling that the true reason was more simple than that. Whether or not it was intentionally done by her, Kota believed that, perhaps, Glitch was hiding behind a standoffish façade from the moment when she guided him and Jaden out of the Subex when they first met. With time, Glitch had started to making joking remarks about Jaden and show concern for the inexperienced Akina.

Kota closed his eyes and smiled to himself as he went through a similar transition once he became friends with his two classmates. He started to grow excited by the idea of learning about Glitch as it could prove to be another opportunity to learn about himself as well, assuming they're both able to survive whatever awaited them on the final floor.


	13. Puppeteer of Ill Fortune

**Chapter 13: Tuesday 23rd of April**

After some much-needed rest and an exchange of apologies between the boys and Akina, the group made their way up the final set of stairs to make it to the topmost floor of the tower. The floor shared a similar appearance to those below it, bearing the same burnt wooden interior and the torches mounted scarcely on the walls, though it contained just a single corridor that seemed to run on forever.

Just like in the lead up to Kota and Jaden reaching Akina in the Hall of Mirrors, the presence of the Shadows was impossible to ignore, though they seemed to be content with watching the quartet close in on their objective.

"The target is nearby…" Glitch halted just outside a couple of wooden sliding doors and turned to the persona-users. "Is everybody prepared for what's up ahead?"

"When it comes to Shadows, I don't think you really can prepare. They always seem to find a way to surprise you," said Akina, disappointed by the possibility of having to endure another fight.

"Sure, but that just means that you'll have to focus on the factors you can control. Speaking of which, I've been meaning to talk to you about your use of healing magic."

"What's there to talk about?" Jaden questioned. "She's been doing great."

"She has, but she needs to hear this word of warning." Glitch turned back to Akina. "Of the basic spells you're able to perform, heal spells are the most mentally taxing. Each time you cast it, you're sacrificing your own vitality to replenish someone else's. With the state that you're in right now, you're at risk of passing out due to excessive use. I recommend that you use it more sparingly for your own well-being." Akina heard the tall girl out but only shook her head immediately in response.

"If there's anyone that needs the healing, I'm going to do it no matter what." Kota was touched by his classmate's dedication, though it did give him yet another thing to be concerned about.

"Just thought that you ought to know." Unfazed by her advice being brushed aside, Glitch looked to Kota. Understanding that she's said her piece, the cyan-haired boy turned to his friends.

"So, are we all set?" Jaden nodded confidently while Akina did the same, only slightly more meekly. With nothing left to do but approach Zaki, the group slid the doors open.

What Kota noticed immediately was that the amount of light that filled the room. Large holes in the ceiling along with a huge missing chunk of the nearby wall allowed for the light outside of the tower to stream in. The room itself was a wide and open, but otherwise was identical to the burnt, dilapidated appearance of the lower floors. Looking past a few stray interior walls of wood, Zaki could be seen staring out to the wasteland from near the building's edge.

"Shodaru!" Kota called out to Zaki, who turned to face the new arrivals. His pupils were abnormally dilated around his darkened eyes, identical to how Akina looked in the Hall of Mirrors.

"Who are you guys?"

"Don't you remember me?" Jaden stepped forward and pointed to himself. "It's Jaden Gatogi. I'm in the Soccer Club with you."

"Yeah?" Zaki couldn't sound more disinterested as he shot the group a steely glare. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Getting you out of here, of course. Come on, we'll get you back to safety." Jaden tried to signal for the trapped boy to join him, but he remained unmoved.

"Must I?"

"Pardon?" Jaden exclaimed as a stony-faced Zaki maintained his stern glare.

"It isn't worth it for me to go back. It's not like there will be any good that will come of that."

"How could you say that?!" Akina exclaimed, saddened to hear the pessimism in his voice. "If you woke up, I'm sure there will be plenty of people that would be relieved to see you. Earlier, we spoke to Kanade and-"

"Stop!" Zaki cut-off Jaden's sentence the moment Kanade's name reached his ears. His outburst exuded raw emotion in contract with his dreary speech earlier. "… She has nothing to do with this."

"Of course she does!" Akina yelled, speaking as though she felt hurt on Fushiwada's behalf. "While you're here contemplating whether you should end your life, she's back in the real world, visiting you in your hospital bed, praying for you to get better… Why aren't you thinking about her feelings?!"

"I never asked her to befriend me." Akina's eyes widened in disbelief over the gloved boy's cold words. "I was just blowing off some steam when some tormentors of hers happened to end up in the crosshairs. She misinterpreted my actions and because of that, she has been following me around like a lost puppy ever since. She's so bothersome…"

"If you have an issue with her, letting yourself waste away down here isn't going to resolve anything." Kota trying to speak rationally as Akina's words didn't appear to get through to her. "We'll get you to safety and the two of you can talk about it."

"No…" Zaki appeared annoyed as he continued to get pestered. "With the name that I bear, going back isn't an option for me."

"What do you mean?" Kota asked, not understanding what his name had to do with him not wanting to return. Zaki turned to the vast emptiness that stretched out beyond the tower.

"If I go back, I'll be passing on my cursed fate to more people."

"Cursed fate?" Jaden and Akina also seemed confused as they exchanged looks with one another, unsure of what to make of it.

"For as long as anyone can remember, my ancestors have experienced the same premature end to their lives, leaving behind nothing for their loved ones but suffering… the same suffering my grandmother has been bearing through for so long." Kota could hear the emotion return to Zaki's voice as he explained the curse. Even if it all sounded too fantastical to be real, there was no doubt that it had been weighing heavily on him. As though reading his mind, Zaki continued.

"You could try to argue that it's all just a coincidence… nothing but bad luck. But, before their deaths, they always help give birth to a single child. A boy. Someone to bear the curse for the next generation." The despair-induced boy shoved his hands in his pockets and let out a shaky exhale before turning back to the group.

"This is the only way to put an end to that suffering for good. Without me, there'll be no more unnecessary death, no more broken families. This is my way of making up for all lives my ancestors destroyed." He bowed his head and took a step backwards toward the giant gap in the wall.

"Wait!" Akina yelled as she noticed him get closer to the edge. Alert to the possibility of Zaki attempting to fall off the building, Kota had already summoned Dante with the swift grasp of his coin.

" **Drawing Gust!** " Dante appeared to kick up a strong pushing force behind him. Taking Zaki by surprise, the boy was thrown harshly towards the centre of the room as Kota rushed in between him and the edge with his friends in tow.

"Get a hold of yourself, Shodaru!" Jaden pleaded as Zaki got back to his feet. "I don't care what the circumstances are. There's nothing that can be gained if you go through with this!"

"Ending the Shodaru Curse now could spare a hundred future heartbreaks. There's plenty to be gained!" The dark-haired boy's eyes seemed to contain a well of anger as a scowl started to form on his face. "So… you have just one warning. Move aside, or I'll add each of your lives to the curse's tally." The air grew thick from the tension as Zaki tried to stare the group down. Kota could sense movement from within the walls as the Shadows threatened to band together to bring forth the Despair. The team still held strong as Zaki clicked his tongue at them.

"Can't say that I expected you to take me seriously…"

With those words, a series of streams of black ooze fired out from the many dark nooks in the room and converged on the floor in front of Zaki. The revolting-looking substance started to pool before growing and starting to take shape. Red chains started to appear and hang loosely from various places on the Shadow's body. The figure took on humanoid features, developing a head and two lanky arms on that large torso that was embedded in the floor. The creature's face remained disturbingly blank like a dark sheet was pulled over a human face. The Despair's right hand held up a silver, metallic object identical to the symbol of Mars.

"This world has forsaken me…" Zaki spoke from behind the Shadow that stood at around 10 metres tall. "It's cursed me with an inescapable fate, and that is why I want no further part of it!" The Despair's deep moan echoed throughout the barren room, giving Kota the chills. It immediately went on to smash its left palm on the ground before bringing it up to create what appeared to be a concentration of dark mist. "I'm choosing to forfeit my life for everyone's good, so who the hell are you people to say that I can't?!"

"This is just like that monster that tried to stop you guys from freeing me…" Akina said, feeling sorrow and regret as she recalled her own Despair that took the form of an ugly imp.

"Exactly," Jaden responded without the usual light-hearted cheer that he gave as he fought the minor Shadows. "It's no joke, but if we beat it, we can grab Shodaru and get out of here!"

The mist started to compress together until it had merged to become a solid, humanoid creature. A layer of black slime trickled down the figure's body, revealing a sword-wielding Shadow wearing a dark blue samurai kimono. Underneath its clothing, the Shadow's body was almost completely covered in bandages, with the exemption of a gap over its left eye where only a red glow could pierce through the pitch-black void. The bandages also wrapped around the hilt of the Shadow's sword, binding both of its hands to the sword.

"Be wary of that new Shadow, but the Despair will be our main target." Kota conjured his sword in preparation for the battle as Jaden and Akina did the same for their weapons.

"Got it!"

"Uh huh!"

In a blink of an eye, the summoned Shadow rushed at Kota and his friends dashed towards its larger comrade.

"Gya!" The swordsman's downward slash was halted by Kota's greatsword, though it took the Wild Card all his strength to block the powerful strike. Of all the Shadows he had faced, none of them possessed even half as much brawn as the sword-wielding foe.

The bandaged Shadow showed that it also possessed a great amount of speed as it quickly positioned itself for another attack, this time aiming a horizontal swing towards Kota's left armpit. Kota was able to awkwardly get his weapon in the way once again only for him to get knocked out of his stance. The blow pushed the teen sidewards just enough to expose his left leg as it remained rooted to the spot. The Shadow savagely dropped its sharp blade through the back of the knee where it was impossible for Kota to protect himself.

"Ah!" Kota immediately felt the pain shoot up his leg as he silently called for Dante's help. Appearing behind the Persona user, the one-eyed swordsman darted between Kota and the Shadow. He tried to land a broad swing that covered a wide area, yet the Shadow was able to leap far enough back that ended up out of the attack's range. Dante went after the Shadow and locked blades with it once more before the foe used its edge in speed to duck under the next swipe and ran their blade through the Persona with lethal precision.

Kota felt that familiar migraine-like pain within his skull as Dante broke off into small blue shards from around the punctured hole in his chest. He had to recover quickly as the troublesome Shadow dashed at Kota again to force another block. The Shadow's intention was clear. It was solely focused on defeating him before going after his friends. As frightening as it was to face such a strong enemy by himself, he knew that he just had to hold out until Jaden and Akina found some success against the Despair Shadow.

* * *

" **Charge Level 1!** " On Akina's command, Daena fired a charged shot from her rifle, the bullet spiralling towards the large Shadow's head. The projectile dug a shallow hole in the Shadow's featureless face as it flinched only slightly. The girl cursed under breath as she witnessed her most powerful physical attack barely scratch the Shadow.

"You've got this, Mercury!" Racing past the Despair's giant arm as he narrowly avoided its palm slamming into the ground, Jaden sent his Persona towards the base of the torso where the Shadow merged with the floor. The chain of blows from two maces didn't prove to be any more effective as the Shadow swiped at the golden warrior multiple times before eventually hitting the Persona. Jaden let out a pained grunt as he was forced to retreat back to where Akina stood, out of reach from the enemy's long arms.

"No good! It'll take us all week if we keep this up!" Jaden took advantage of the Despair's lack of movement options and safely recuperated from the blow to his Persona.

"We'll just have to try something else then." Akina's Moon Coin appeared before her as she readied herself for another attack through her Persona. Jaden quickly caught on to what the next plan of attack was and called for his own sun variant of the coin.

" **Bufu!** "

" **Agi!** "

The pair's Personas were summoned at identical times before gliding around the Shadow in different directions. When Daena and Mercury had their pincer-formation setup, they launched their respective elemental projectiles. With the Puppeteering Shadow incapable of moving, it seemed like it was a sitting duck for the converging spells - until the attacks suddenly changed course.

"What?" Akina voiced her surprise as both the ice shards and ball of fire were pulled towards the Mars symbol held by the Shadow. Upon contact, the metallic puppet absorbed the spells with ease, a bright glow being the only visual impact that was left by the attacks. Jaden looked on, dumbfounded, as the Despair sounded deep moan and the circle in the symbol was filled with a searing red light.

"Watch out!" Jaden yelled, but neither he nor his classmate was ready as the attacks were spat back out in their direction. The pair couldn't do so much as blink before being blown away by each other's deflected attacks.

* * *

Kota heard the telltale sound of a pair of magic attack exploding on impact. While still engaging with the bandaged Shadow, the cyan-haired boy turned to find his friends get tossed across the room. Their cries carried to his ears until they hit the wooden flooring with a thud.

"Guys!" Kota left himself get distracted from the enemy in front of him long enough for the swordsman to deliver a blinding slash to face. The boy gave an exhausted cry of pain as he stumbled backwards. The damage inflicted was enough for Kota to bring his hand to his face, dropping his guard. This invited his opponent to make another move, an overhead slash that looked to cut him in half, though the Persona-user was able to anticipate the Shadow's movement this time.

"Dante!" Having recovered from the previous hit, the clocked swordsman appeared in front of the Shadow and emitted a powerful burst of wind, knocking the enemy out of the air and pushing it well away from the stunned boy. Just as Kota thought that he had bought himself some time, the Shadow recovered mid-fall, landing on his feet and immediately sped towards the wounded boy. The confrontation would have been gruesome had a fireball not rocketed into Kota's vision and force the attacker to halt his advance in order to dodge the projectile.

"Hey! He's not the only one you've got to worry about, you know!" Kota could hear Jaden yell from behind him as several move fireballs were sent after bandaged Shadow. None of them were hitting their target, but it did keep it at bay while Kota felt a gentle warmth around the cut on his face.

"Are feeling okay, Kota?" Akina called out as the healing aura spread to the rest of his body. The strong feeling of relief that resulted from Daena's spell quickly regenerated Kota's battered body. He had taken so much damage that his ability to regenerate was barely working.

"I am now! Thanks!" Kota yelled in response. His vision went back to normal once his wounds had recovered. He could see Mercury continue the assault on the occupied Shadow through both his fire and maces. Akina moved closer to her cyan-haired teammate to assess his wellbeing.

"Take it easy for a bit. Jaden and I will take care of this one." Akina spoke reassuringly, though there was a sense of firmness in her voice that told Kota that she wasn't going to let him step in whether he wanted to or not. With his body still feeling heavy, Kota reluctantly nodded.

And so, spells of fire and ice continued to be thrown at the sword-wielding Shadow. Yet, even with the sheer number attacks being hurled at it, the Shadow always managed to dodge the majority of them while parrying the rest with its weapon.

"This Shadow's a real pesky one!" Jaden exclaimed in frustration and he sent Mercury after him again, only for the Shadow to sidestep the armoured Persona's charge. Not even the rifle attacks from Daena, that proved to be so reliable against the earlier Shadows, could land a hit as the intended target always managed to deflect the shots with its blade.

"Everyone! Be wary of the Despair!" Glitch suddenly yelled over the noise of the battle as the towering Shadow let out another fierce groan. Lifting its free arm into the air, a glistening light could be seen through one of the holes in the ceiling before a bolt of lightning shot into the room. Instead of the lightning smiting one of the school students, it was drawn in by the Mars Symbol that the Despair was holding.

After Jaden had tried to run at the smaller Shadow, it leapt high into the air before landing behind the Despair. With the puppet fully charged, it flashed red once more as its red eye was fixed on the blonde who found himself in no man's land.

"Oh boy…" Jaden could do nothing more than brace himself, as a beam of concentrated light closed in on him - in a fraction of a second. "Gahh!" The knockback was fierce as he found himself tossed aside once again. Jaden cannoned through one of the thin timber walls before landing heavily.

"Hang on!" Akina promptly healed him as Kota knew that they had to come up with a strategy if they were going to beat the powerful Shadow duo.

"You guys have to keep the pressure on that main Shadow. I'll be able to handle the swordsman."

"Don't be stupid!" Akina scolded her classmate as Jaden picked himself up. "That thing's too tough for just one of us to fight it. I'll help you!" Kota would rather his friends focus on the main target as he was the best fit between the three of them to fend off the sword-wielding Shadow. Although, his earlier engagements told him that he would need the help if they were to last long enough to find a chink in the Despair's armour.

"I'll keep the big one busy then!" Barely a moment passed after Jaden's words when the bandaged Shadow charged back into the fray. Holding his sword out in front of him, Kota rushed at it head on until the two swords meet with a clank.

Meanwhile, Jaden ran to the Despair with a new target in mind.

"If you don't mind the magic attacks…" Jaden tightened his grip on the flails and smashed the Sun Coin that appeared in front of him, "...then how would you like some of this?" Mercury soared ahead of its user fearlessly and winded up for a strong bash attack. With his eyes set on the puppet that the Despair was holding, the golden warrior's maces connected midway through a powerful swing.

Yet the moment it did, the weapons simply bounced off of the hard metallic surface. The hit didn't even leave a mark on the Mars sign before a giant palm from the Shadow crushed the Persona into the ground.

Jaden winced as Mercury was beaten, but he forced himself to keep moving, knowing that the enormous hand would target him next. Sliding under a horizontal swipe of the Shadow's arm, the music-lover ran around the Despair in hopes of finding anything that hinted at a weakness.

Unfortunately, no matter how much time he spent searching and how many times he sent Mercury in to hit the monster, Jaden wasn't able to make any progress as he continued to narrowly avoid the being's attacks.

"Stubborn bastard…" The thought that the group wasn't ready to take on such a strong Shadow started to fill the blonde's mind. Still, if everyone was going to survive, Jaden knew that they had to find something that they could use to defeat the seemingly impenetrable enemy.

On the other side of the room, Kota continued to fend off the bandaged Shadow to the best of his abilities, though his lack of swordfight experience and technique was badly exposed by the more agile foe. Initially throwing out the odd rifle shot in an effort to catch the Shadow off-guard, Akina was later forced to send off one healing spell after another as Kota's resistance started to crumble.

All the while, Zaki passively spectated the fighting between Kota's group and the Shadows. He remained silent since the battle started until he noticed the cyan-haired boy's struggles.

"Every block you manage, every failed attack you make, everything that you do to desperately stay alive is doing nothing but delay the inevitable," Zaki spoke sadly. "Save yourself and your friends the pain of your futile efforts and accept your end."

"I can't think like that…" Breathless, but not beaten, Kota pushed hard against the Shadow's sword. "As long as I can take action, I can turn this around!" Using that spike of adrenaline, Kota forced the monster back and looked to counter with a piercing lunge. Recovering quickly, the Shadow moved out of the line of the thrust and punished the teen with a slash to his gut.

"Kota!" Akina exclaimed in horror as her friend stumbled backwards, just barely keeping his feet. " **Dia!** " Again, a dim light shone around Kota as the spell helped recover most of his energy from the attack. Even if the spell did the trick, he could tell that they've been getting less potent each time Akina had to heal him.

"Your friend won't be able to keep bailing you out like this. Pull yourself together!" Able to sense Akina's diminishing strength, Glitch yelled to Kota from the sidelines.

"No… It's okay." The white-haired girl was breathless as she defended her friend, even if she could feel her energy be sapped out of her with every healing spell.

Kota reacted too slowly to a swing of the foe's sword as the sharp blade cut him deep in his shoulder. The teenage grunted in pain as Akina prepared to send out another heal.

" **D-Dia!** " This time, the spell only marginally healed Kota as he could sense Akina's power weakening. Seeing her suffer because of how weak he was frustrated the Wild Card to no end. No matter what he tried, he was too slow, too feeble as the sword-wielding Shadow cut through him time and time again.

That frustration fuelled Kota's push towards the bandaged Shadow but the move proved to be a poor one. The enemy quickly got behind him and slashed the back of his knees, forcing Kota to the ground with a yell.

"I've… got you." Standing alone appeared as though it took Akina a massive amount of effort as she reached out for the Moon Coin that twirled within her grasp. "D-Di…" The girl was partway through her casting when the coin vanished from the air and her body grew limp. Momentarily blacking out, Akina fell to the ground, barely catching herself before she fell on her face. Fear started to take a firm hold of Kota's thoughts as he saw his ally collapse.

"Help me, Dante!" Now desperate, Kota sent his Persona after the foe only for it to be cut down in a blink of an eye. Not only did Dante scatter in a mass of blue shards but Kota noticed similar shards peal of his body and evaporate in the air, like amour that had been protecting him was torn from his body. At that moment, he could no longer sense Dante within him. He was as powerless as an average high school student as the blood-thirsty monster loomed over him.

A deep groan sounded from the Despair warning the group of another powerful attack. As though taking instructions from the larger Shadow, the sword-bearing enemy left Kota, hiding behind the Despair once again. From closer to the puppeteer Shadow, Jaden noticed a familiar glint in the sky.

Knowing what was to come, Jaden retreated from the giant Shadow just before another thunderbolt struck the Mars Symbol. Jaden managed to get away unscathed from the strike, but he wasn't the one that the Despair had set its sights on.

The puppet turned to face the grounded swordsman of the group instead, knowing that he was both an easy target and weak enough to finish off. Glitch looked on with unease, her mind blank as she tried to think of anything that she could do. However, she knew that without a Persona, she was powerless to help Kota.

Feeling hopeless, she looked to Akina. Having only just got to her feet, the albino quickly grasped the situation. If nothing was done by the time the Despair unleashes its attack on Kota… Akina couldn't even finish that thought as she held her hand out in front of her again.

"Daena… Please…" Akina pleaded before her Moon Coin was willed into existence. Relieved, she didn't wait for even a second. " **Dia!** " Akina crushed the coin under her fist and the masked woman appeared before her. But rather than heal Kota, she directed her magic somewhere else. Daena held her hands up towards the glowing Mars Symbol as the remainder of her restoration power flowed into the metallic figure.

Just as the healing spell had finished casting, the Despair's puppet blinked red again. It let out another stream of lightning, only this time it was more transparent and was a deeper shade of blue. Giving off a warmer feel than the previous laser, Akina's split-second decision seemed to have paid off as the attack's destructive power was replaced with the healing properties that Daena had made the puppet absorb.

Kota braced on the ground as the spell hit him, expecting an incredible amount of pain. However, the electricity that surged through him felt therapeutic as the beneficial energy was absorbed by every fibre of his body.

When the spell had passed through him, Kota felt as refreshed as he was at the beginning of the venture as he lifted himself onto his hands and knees. He looked around him, unsure about what had happened before seeing Akina look over to him.

"You're… okay…" Confirming that Kota had survived with her own eyes, Akina wore a thankful expression as she passed out from exhaustion, hitting the wooden flooring front-on. Blue shards rose up from her body supporting Kota's worry that her Persona's protection was no longer with her.

"Akina!" Kota yelled to her in alarm, but as he felt Dante reawaken within him as he briefly exuded a blue glow, he knew that she was out cold.

"Shit! Hang on!" Jaden was still separated from the pair as he looked to regroup with them during the period of calm.

That period didn't last anywhere near look enough as the Shadow Swordsman ran into view yet again. This time, however, it wasn't interested in Kota. Its intense red eye bore harshly into Akina as she lay unconscious on the ground. While originally being methodical in its movements, the Shadow's loss of patience drove it to rush at the defenceless girl at full speed.

"Like hell you will!" Reacting quickly, Jaden got in the way and blocked the rampaging Shadow with his flails. As he did, the chains of Jaden's weapon circled around the Shadow's blade, locking it into place. The foe resisted the weapon's grip with a massive tug, but the sword was too intertwined in the chains for it to escape.

"Kota! Now!" With the enemy immobilised, Jaden called for his friend to take advantage. Kota looked to oblige as the Fool's Coin was silently summoned before him.

"Dante!" With a grasping fist, the one-eyed swordsman appeared mid-dash with its eye set on the trapped Shadow. In one powerful motion, Dante's large sword ran through the Shadow's midsection, slicing it in half as dark liquid shot out from its insides. The glowing red eye vanished entirely as it dropped its sword to the ground.

"Good riddance…" Jaden muttered in disdain as the bandages unravelled and drifted out the hole in the wall and out towards the expansive wasteland. The rest of the monster's body turned to goo as the thick liquid leaked through the cracks in the boarded flooring, leaving no trace of the creature.

Zaki frowned from behind the Despair and sighed, looking irritated by the group's minor triumph.

"I'll admit; I didn't expect for you to beat that thing." After a wearing a sour look for a moment more, Zaki shrugged as though he stopped letting it get to him. "The problem for you two is that you're a fighter down and still haven't found a way to win."

Letting itself be known, the giant puppeteer slammed its hand on the ground and lifted it to reveal a ball of black energy. Kota watched in alarm as he remembered seeing it do this at the beginning of the battle.

"You've all done well to last this long, but I think it's about time you threw in the towel," said Zaki, sounding impatient as he continued to watch on.

"It's trying to summon another one of those Shadows." While the boys knew what was happening, Glitch couldn't keep herself from making an outburst. "You two have to stop it!"

"You've got to be kidding me…" Jaden started to sweat as he saw the dark ball start to take shape. "No matter what we've tried, we can barely scratch that thing." He appeared lost, but no matter how bleak things looked, Kota knew that there had to be a way through this.

While he didn't see much of the fighting against the Despair up close, Kota knew that physical attacks had little effect on it while any magic attack would just be absorbed by the symbol it's holding. If there were no inherent weakness, he would have to work out how he could turn one of its strengths against it, just as Akina did when she cast Dia on its metal puppet…

Kota's eyes flashed in realisation as he turned to Jaden.

"Jaden, use your fire attack!" Jaden looked back at his friend sceptically.

"But that puppet…"

"I've got a plan." With time being of the essence, Kota cut him off. Jaden simply nodded and Kota readied his own Sun Coin.

" **Agi!** "

The boys called their attacks simultaneously and Mercury and Phoenix both appeared the lash out at the Despair with a sea of fire.

"Are you two just acting out of blind defiance now?" Zaki gave the pair a pitiful look as the fire was effortlessly suck into the Mars sign. The metal object glowed red hot as it kept the magic stored up within itself.

"Keep going!" Kota sent forward another ball as fire as Jaden followed suit. He realised how great of a risk this plan was, but the Wild Card saw no other option than to keep heating the object. Catching on to the plan, Zaki couldn't help but smirk out of amusement.

"If you're looking to have the puppet combust, don't even bother. You'll never be able to make it hot enough before it sends your attack right back at you!" Looking extremely worried, Jaden turned to Kota, hoping that the plan was still on track.

"Kota?" The cyan-haired boy remained pokerfaced as he kept his eyes on the piping hot mass of metal.

"Maybe you're right…" Zaki's smile grew, taking his words as an admission of defeat.

"Some good all that did you! You tried everything you could, but it only worked against you in the end!" The despair-driven boy's eyes widened as he sensed the end approaching. "This will be enough power to wipe you all out once and for all!" Kota refused these words to shake his concentration as waited for the moment to take the next step. The timing was going to be the difference between saving Zaki and perishing. The moment that the eye of the symbol flashed, Kota willed his Moon Coin into existence.

"Now, Pairika! **Makarakarn!** " In that brief window just before the Despair unleashed its attack, the green-eyed sorceress surrounded the puppet with an invisible barrier.

Usually, the Makarakarn spell was capable of temporarily shielding a person from magic and reflect any spells back at the caster. But if the spell was to be cast from inside the barrier…

The spell had the effect that Kota desired, stopping the fire as the puppet tried to cast its beam and forcing it to absorb the fire again. The constant loop of the cast-absorb-recast that the Mars symbol was caught in made the fire grow even hotter as the flame took on a blazing blue colour.

"What?!" Zaki exclaimed as he felt like he was witnessing the impossible.

"The two of us alone won't be enough to heat it to bursting point… but that wasn't the plan to begin with." The flames surrounding the puppet then turned white as cracks started to form on the puppet's metal surface.

"Y-You've got to be joking!" The Makarakarn barrier finally broke, but only when the metal symbol exploded from the intense heat and sent large metal projectiles flying in all directions. Being right next to the puppet, the Despair was impaled by multiple shards of scorching metal that emitted dark smoke from its wounds. The Shadow let out a pained shrill as it brought its hands to its face, thwarting its efforts to summon another helper. The Zaki was knocked to the ground but was shielded from the sharp metal thanks to his positioning behind the giant monster.

"That's our leader!" Jaden cheered as Kota finally had something to smile about. In the space of a couple of minutes, they managed to turn the battle on its head.

"It's not done yet. One more attack should do it!"

"Let's make it a big one then!" Jaden tightened his grip around his flails as his enthusiasm from earlier returned to him. Kota immediately knew what he had in mind.

"You think that we'll be able to pull this one off?"

"Of course! I'll follow your lead."

"Alright!" Kota called for Dante again as Jaden did the same with Mercury. Powerful winds suddenly kicked up from behind the pair as Dante conjured them, pointed in the direction of the wounded Despair. With their weapons prepared, the boys rushed at the puppeteer with the aid of the strong breeze.

"Let the wind spur us forward…"

"As the flames forge our path."

Streams of fire danced around the Despair as winds started the circle around the Shadow. Riding the wind, Kota and Jaden dealt several blows to the large foe, particularly around the protruding metal shards where the tough skin had been burnt away.

"With our strength combined…"

"You're as good as toast!"

Kota then positioned himself on the ground outside of the blue-tinted whirlwind while Dante stood behind him, maintaining the powerful gusts. On the opposite side of the Despair, Jaden was still airborne as Mercury channelled fire into his maces.

" **Flaming Vortex!** " The students shouted together as Mercury dove into the centre of the whirlwind, causing the entire area to erupt into flames, engulfing the Despair that was trapped inside.

The enormous Shadow let out a deafening howl as the fire went on to consume it.

* * *

Outside of the battle, Zaki stared wide-eyed at the towering flames, unable to look away. While his face was blank, his twitching eyes hinted at the storm of emotions that were rampaging through his head. Hopelessness, fear, sorrow, anger.

The dark-haired boy blinked, and suddenly, the flames looked as though they were surrounding him. He felt caged, trapped in both the fire that continued to close around him and the memory of that terrible night that seemed to replay in his head, over and over again.

Zaki's right arm started to shake uncontrollably, feeling as though it was burning up before he forcefully held it down with his other arm. Doing the only thing he could do, he brought his knees up to his face, curling up into a ball as he tried to hide from the awful sight.

"I'm sorry… Mum… Dad." A single tear ran down Zaki's face. "I lost my way, again…"

* * *

The flames burned for a little while after the Despair had perished, but it eventually shrunk and vanished, the burn marks on the wooden floor being the only evidence that that last attack ever happened.

"Whew!" Jaden let out long exhale, sounding both pleased and satisfied with the curtain-closing attack. "That's how you finish it in style!"

"Style isn't exactly what I was striving for," said Kota, not quite as impressed by the light show that the two of them created. "I'm glad we're still alive though."

"Yeah. That's always a plus." Jaden beamed in a way only he knew how and held his palm out to Kota, who hi-fived it as Glitch approached the pair.

"I've got to hand it to you both, I didn't think that you were capable of coordinating a powerful attack like that." Jaden took the time to bask in a rare compliment from the Subex resident before giving her a mischievous smile.

"You seemed worried that we weren't going to win, huh? You haven't started developing a soft spot for us, are ya?" Glitch appeared to be taken aback by the sudden change in topic as hid most of her face behind the brim of her hat.

"Keeping the Subex from collapsing takes the utmost importance. That said…" Glitch seemed to be carefully considering each of her words. "It would be inconvenient if we were to lose anyone, even if it was someone of the likes of you."

"Not… quite as touching as I was hoping for, but you're making progress." Jaden actually looked a little disappointed as he turned to see Zaki on the other side of the burnt spot. The teenager was sitting upright while curling up in a ball but appeared to be unhurt from the harsh battle he'd witnessed. "He seems to be alright." Having remembered his other companion, Kota looked to Akina in a panic. She was in the same spot as where she collapsed but she had been rolled onto her back.

"Relax. I assessed her condition when I had the chance. She's just incredibly tired," Glitch reassured as Kota became less tense upon hearing the news. "You realise that you owe her your life, right?"

"I know…" Not only did her healing spells keep him in the fight, but she showed him how to beat the Despair when, at first, it seemed unbeatable. Jaden placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'll get Zaki talking, so see if you can get Akina up." The blonde flashed a kind smile at Kota before heading towards the Subex's victim. Thankful for being given the chance to thank her so soon, the Wild Card went to see Akina.

Kneeling next to resting girl, Kota was happy to see that she looked peaceful as though she was napping. A part of him didn't want to wake her but carrying her with his fatigued body would be difficult.

"Hey, Akina," Kota spoke softly as he gently shook her shoulders, trying not to be too rough. The small girl stirred as her eyelids flickered before revealing her red-coloured eyes. "We did it." Akina took a moment to comprehend the words as she mentally shook off the rest of her sleepiness. Fully awake, Akina propped herself into a sitting position as quickly as her tired arms allowed her to.

"You both made it?" A sincere smile from the boy told her everything that she needed to know. Overjoyed, Akina pressed her head against Kota's chest, grasping the back of Kota's suit tightly. "Thank goodness…" Kota almost jumped from the sudden contact but later returned the hug, only not quite as firmly.

"It's really all thanks to you. There's no way I would have been able to hold my own if you weren't supporting me with your healing abilities." Akina was somehow able to tighten her vice-like grip on him even more.

"I'm just glad that I could start repaying you for the times you saved me."

The embrace carried on for a while longer until the small girl released her grip. The sweet moment they shared started to turn awkward as Akina couldn't bring herself to look at Kota, pulling the edge of her beanie until it was almost over her eyes.

"We still have one more thing to do." Thankful that the silence had passed, the albino gave a nod and moved to get herself back on her feet. "Will you be alright getting up by yourself?"

"Yeah… I'll be fine." With a great amount of effort, Akina stood up. Kota maintained his concerned look, which Akina responded to with a shy smile. "Really. It's not a problem."

They approached the rest of the group that had gathered around Zaki, who was now looking at his feet from his seated position on the ground. Once he had re-joined the others, Kota was the first to speak to him.

"How are you feeling, Shodaru?" The teenager was slow to meet Kota's eyes with own.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. Troubled, I guess." Zaki pushed himself back to his feet, his once inky black eyes now more resemblant of his normal, blue-coloured pair. "I know now... I don't want to die. I don't but… Is that really okay?" Recalling what the boy said before his Despair appeared, Kota felt that the best answer was for him to address the dark thoughts that were plaguing his mind.

"Your death could prevent a hundred future heartbreaks, but it would also rob those hearts of experiencing love to begin with."

"You think… that makes it alright?"

"Of course!" Jaden grinned, looking to pass on his optimism. "The pain that comes from the heart is as strong as it is because it's a reminder on all the good times you can no longer experience… or something like that." He rubbed the back of his head, looking a little bashful as he continued. "You haven't truly lived unless you've had your heart broken a couple of times, as they say."

"You sound like you're talking from experience." Akina gave a genuinely surprised look to Jaden as he sounded more mature than she expected from him.

"Uh huh! There's nothing worse than reaching the end of a really good manga, but if I were to avoid that feeling of sorrow, I wouldn't have been able to experience so many great stories and characters." Akina's express quickly became unsavoury.

"I guess there is some truth to what he's saying… even if he's just talking about some silly hobby." Jaden gave Akina a harsh glare but was able to keep himself from giving her an earful and let her continue. "I understand that you can't bear the thought of hurting others if you were to leave them behind, but isn't it too late for that? You mentioned that your grandmother's still hurting from the losses she's endured. I'm sure that you wouldn't want to add to that."

"Of course I wouldn't..." Zaki looked regretful as he bowed his head.

"Then there's Kanade. For the entire time we spent with her, she'd always held onto the hope that you'll wake up. If you don't, she'd feel cheated of the time that the two of you could have been spending together."

Zaki had a pained look on his face as the conversation turned to Kanade. From what Kota was able to understand, the messy-haired boy was convinced that his return would later cause trouble to anyone who he considers as close.

"You may feel like someone will get hurt no matter what you'll do, but you'll find a way." Filled with hopeful thoughts, Kota spoke in full confidence that everything was going to work out. "Even if this curse of yours is the real deal, there has to be a way that everyone can find happiness." Zaki looked at each member of the rescuing group before sighing.

"You guys sure are weird. Who on Earth is willing to go through all this trouble for some nobody? Still… I think your right. I have to think of a way to beat this curse for good." He took a deep breath and looked down at his gloved hand and clenching it into a fist. "I'll find that future. One that won't leave nothing but despair in its wake. As a Shodaru, I swear it on my name…"

Zaki's determination gave life to a blue glow that enveloped the teenager. Following a brief appearance of a small coin, the object shone an intense light that then dimmed to reveal his Persona.

The figure wore a dark jacket that had platinum studs attached to the top of the shoulders and upper back. The lower end of the jacket was tattered, where the material was spread unevenly off the Persona's waist. A dark hood was attached to the item of clothing from beneath the collar, covering the figure's head around its brown jackal-like face with glowing white eyes, except for the pointed ears that pierced through the hood's material. The right sleeve of the jacket had been torn off entirely to reveal a dark, human-like robotic arm which had it artificial muscles visible. This didn't mirror the figure's left arm with the hand poking out the jacket sleeve having been covered by a glove. The material's deep blue colour matched that of the bandana that could be seen beneath the unzipped portion of the jacket.

The dark pants that the Persona wore had silver streaks at various points down the legs, bearing a similar appearance to giant scratch marks. Brown boots covered the figure's feet from underneath the pant legs. The Persona carried a massive golden ankh on its back, bound by the blue chains that dug into his back through the jacket. In its artificial hand, the being held a platinum-bladed sword with a blue hilt that matched the ankh in terms of its size.

"Anubis…"

The Persona vanished and Zaki's consciousness quickly left him. The boy fell to his knees before falling on the wooden flooring.

"Mission accomplished." Glitch took a step towards the unconscious Zaki. "I'll retrieve the target so we can take our leave."

"That's it, right? He'll be okay now?" A little unsure of Zaki's wellbeing, Akina turned to her friends.

"Yeah," replied Jaden. "The Shadows should get off our backs too, so we'll just have to take him back to the hospital."

"Finally…" Having been straining herself to stay on her feet, Akina fell on her knees as the effects of the fight still weighed her down. "I'd hate to go through all that again."

"Doing it a second time isn't much better but it's not quite as nerve-racking when you have an idea on what to expect," said Kota, trying to ease her anxiety – just in case there would be another reason to return later. "Honestly, I'm really impressed with how you handled it, Akina." The girl looked at him in disbelief.

"What was there to be impressed by? I was practically frozen in fear when I saw a Shadow for the first time and when I did do something, I almost hit you with Daena's attack."

"Don't act like you don't deserve any of the credit. If you hadn't used your heal on that puppet-thing, we wouldn't have had our breakthrough against the big bad." Jaden looked at both his friends with a curious look. "What gave you guys the idea to use those spells on it anyway?"

"Instinct." Kota and Akina gave each other looks of shock as they both gave Jaden the same response at the same time.

"Geez… talk about being made for each other. By the way, don't think that I didn't see the two of you get comfortable in each other's arms earlier."

"I-Idiot!" Akina's face turned red within a second. "Don't be bringing up such embarrassing stuff!"

"If you want me to, just stop embarrassing yourself," Jaden smirked as Kota's eyes wandered down to his own feet, feeling a blush of his own start to surface.

"The Shadows may be docile now, but it would be foolish to assume that we're completely safe." With Zaki laying over her back, Glitch tried redirecting the teams focus. "We should get moving."

"Kay!" A mischievous grin started to spread across Jaden's face again. "Hey, Akina. If you're still up for getting clingy with Kota, I'm sure he would be happy to carry you."

"H-Huh?!" Kota blurted out without even realising that he made a noise. The fact that the thought had crossed his mind freaked him out even more.

"I told you to stop mentioning it!" Overcome with rage, Akina got back to her feet and glared daggers at the blonde. "Daena!" Her Moon Coin appeared in front of her a moment later, stunning the boys.

"Huh?! I thought you were out of juice!" The colour drained from Jaden's face as Daena appeared with the grasp of the coin. The rifle-wielding woman seemed to give him a similarly cold glare as her master.

" **Crystal Volley!** " Akina pointed to Jaden as tens of icy shards appeared behind Daena, pointing menacingly at Jaden. The wealthy teen high tailed it towards the room's exit with a yell as the sharp projectiles flew after him.

"I get it! I get it! I won't bring it up again! Please don't kill me!" Miraculously, Jaden was able to weave through the cluster of ice without getting hit and race down the dark hallway.

"Don't think that I'll let you off that easily!" With Daena vanishing again, Akina chased after the boy as though she'd gained an abundance of energy through her anger. The room soon quietened down as the two of them left Kota behind with Glitch. They shared a glance with one another before casually heading towards the surface entrance. Neither of them were particularly worried for Jaden's wellbeing since Akina wouldn't intentionally hurt Jaden with her Persona. Probably.

"Even after all that fighting, they somehow have the energy to fool around like that," Glitch muttered. She seemed a little annoyed that the pair ran off ahead so carelessly. "It's fair to say they're stronger than I initially thought."

"That's Jaden and Akina for you. I've had this feeling that I could depend on them ever since I first met them." Kota gave an amused smile, though his expression became gloomy as he thought back to brutal climb to Zaki that they all barely survived. "I feel bad that I got them both involved in this..."

"What makes you think that you did?" Glitch shot him a curious look as they continued to walk. Zaki remained unconscious as the mysterious girl held him in a fireman's carry.

"When I was with Jaden, I gave him my Transferral device, which then brought the two of us here the first time. Akina happened to find her way to the Subex shortly after and now the same thing has happened to Shodaru." Kota vented his feelings of guilt as Glitch silently listened. "They might not be endangering their lives if I hadn't arrived in Iwatodai in the first place."

"You said it yourself. It only 'might' be because of you," Glitch said, her words as blunt as always. "There's still a lot that you don't know about this whole ordeal. Therefore, there's no justifiable reason for you to put the blame on yourself while there are other possibilities. From my understanding, you had no idea what the function of the Transferral was before it activated, which means that you couldn't have predicted what was to happen. We also don't know the cause of these individuals falling into the Subex in the first place, so you should look into why that's happening instead of senselessly blaming yourself."

She didn't hold back on giving him her honest thoughts and while it could be interpreted as insensitive, Kota found it more comforting that way. There was a lot that didn't he know, even looking past the Subex-related happenings. He just had to be a bit more patient with himself and find those answers.

"Thank you, Glitch. I'll take your advice."

Kota continued to silently navigate the tower in silence, thankful that the Shadows were no longer pursuing them. Still, he was a little worried that Jaden and Akina. Kota imaged that running heedlessly through the poor-lit maze would be a good way to get yourself lost.

"Will you be available tomorrow?" Glitch's words broke his thoughts. It was unlike Glitch to initiate a conversation, especially if it didn't involve a rescue mission.

"Sure. What is it?"

"If you're able to come down to the Subex, I'll have a device ready for you in front of your residence. It should allow us to communicate while you're outside of the Subex."

"You could make something like that?" Kota asked, impressed that Glitch was capable of making other inventions outside of weapons and motorbike. He didn't expect that a device could be capable of being brought over to the real world.

"It shouldn't mess with your phone like when I last contacted you. It'll be more convenient for the both of us. Bring your friends along if they're able to as well."

"You've got it." Usually, Kota doesn't look forward to visits to the Subex but tomorrow was going to be different. He wouldn't have to fight for his life and he'll get to see Glitch outside of a rescue situation. He could only imagine how lonely having to stay in the Subex would be.

Until then, Kota was keen to get some fresh air once he returned to the dormitory with Jaden and Akina. Hopefully, they've made it back to the tower's entrance without seriously hurting each other.

* * *

Laying atop a two-storey building a stone's throw away from the dark and eerily calm ocean, the boy donning his army jacket stared up into the Subex sky. The grey clouds swirling around the island was like a sight he would see in the eye of a massive storm. He found the sight soothing as he basked in the pure silence. Having already reported the status of the rescuers through his radio, the boy took the time to forget about all the concerns he had back on the surface.

The peace he had found was rudely interrupted by the sounds of distant roars of a motor vehicle. With the noise only growing louder, the boy let out an annoyed sigh before standing up to see what was causing the racket. When he did, he saw the underside of a large dark motorbike soar towards him before landing on the other side of the roof of the building.

Startled, the boy conjured an emerald dagger in each hand as the bike's engine cut off. The rider of the bike, wearing a red jacket and dark denim pants, calmly stepped off his bike. His black helmet vanished off his as he mentally called for its removal to reveal the boy's face.

The boy had straight, shoulder-length dark hair with several stray strands that ran down his face, just inside of his right eye. The eyes themselves were sharp and dark brown in colour, intimidating enough to hold anyone's tongue that would otherwise comment on his slightly feminine hairstyle. He had a muscular frame and carried a large sword on his back.

He matched the description of one of his supposed allies mentioned amongst what little information the dagger-wielding boy was given upon arriving in Iwatodai.

"Ease up there, bud. You're starting to make me feel a bit nervous." The visitor's hand rose toward the purple hilt of the sword. With his gloved fingers hovering just off his weapon, the green-haired boy could sense an invisible, but strong, aura that came from what already appeared to be a menacing-looking sword. He knew that the power he possessed through that sword alone would be overwhelming if they came to blows now. Considering that he had a Persona as well, he wasn't someone that should be challenged for the time being.

"I wasn't expecting any visitors," the green-haired boy said, irritated as he recalled his daggers while maintaining his unfriendly glare. "State your business." The biker smirked as he lowered his arm, the aura from his giant blade no longer emitting that mysterious power.

"It would be a real pain for me to wait for your superiors to pass on the news, so I thought that I would ask you directly." The dark-haired boy suddenly looked serious as he firmly locked eyes with his so-called ally. "Did he make it?"

"What does it matter to you?" Choosing to be difficult, the green-haired boy crossed his arms and returned the same level of intensity through his own eyes.

"Let's just say that I have an invested interest in this guy and leave it at that… Well?" Sighing, the shorter boy figured that the matter wasn't worth getting in a fight over.

"You can sleep easy. That boyfriend of yours made it out."

"Aren't you a charmer?" The biker gave the other boy a dirty look, his words thick with sarcasm. "It's a wonder why your colleagues put you on the outer." The green-haired boy raised an eyebrow at his response, taking interest in it. He got the sense that the biker didn't look at the Subex's latest victim too fondly.

"It's odd. I didn't expect that a mercenary would have any personal interest in their client's affairs, so long as they get the coin their after." The boy with the army jacket spoke condescendingly.

"Believe it or not, there's more to this job than the money I've been promised. I would elaborate on what those things are, but we aren't exactly friends." The biker's eyes continued to pierce the boy, challenging his to give him a reason to draw his sword. After a period of tense silence, the long-haired visitor turned to his ride. "Guess we're done here."

"Seeing that I did you a solid, you think you could let me in on who's running this charade?" The mercenary didn't respond until he was seated his bike.

"I may be the curious sort, but I know better than to cause trouble with my employer. Sticking your beak in places where it doesn't belong is a good way to put a bounty on your head, believe me. You could try being polite for once and ask the boss yourself." The tall boy smirked, finding humour in the idea of the standoffish boy treating anyone with any respect. When the green-haired boy just gave him a dark glare, the biker nonchalantly shrugged. "Well, if he doesn't want you to know, then I guess it stops there."

The biker's helmet reappeared over his face as the vehicle roared back to life. Before leaving, he yelled his parting words over the noise.

"I'd be working on your people skills if I were you. You might want people to start liking you if you're going to be fishing for favours." With that, the bike did a one-eighty before shooting off the roof and speeding off towards the mainland.

"… Asshole." The sword-wielding boy's appearance irritated him not only because it ruined his moment of peace, but also because it served as a reminder that he was nowhere near as strong as he wanted to be.

Even with the boy and his bike long gone, the green-haired youth was still in a foul mood. Looking out the still water, he tried to recapture that moment of tranquillity. He closed his eyes upon taking a deep breath when he recalled an image from his memories.

A giant swinging pendulum. A room surrounded by cameras, in a void on infinite ticking clocks... a contract promising him an incredible power.

For the briefest of moments, he wondered whether walking away from that opportunity was the right thing for him to do.

No, he thought to himself. If he was going to get stronger, it was going to be through his own means.

The boy opened his eyes again and turned back to the tall buildings at the centre of the island. He was going to make something of himself, even if needed to fight the entire world to do so.


	14. Bittersweet Bento

**Chapter 14: Wednesday 24th of April**

It was only less than 24 hours after they rescued Zaki from the Subex, but Kota and his friends made the journey to school and attended classes as though nothing had happened. The warm spring day was pleasant, though it did nothing to shake off the drowsiness that stuck with Kota from the moment he woke up. His eyelids remained heavy throughout morning classes and it took so much effort for Kota to stay awake that he wasn't able to take in much of the lesson. He would have been better off napping through the day like Jaden did, if he wasn't so worried about the tongue lashing he would get from the teachers. The blonde got away with snoozing during class until the science teacher, Mrs Kishiko, called on him during the lesson.

"… and, upon discovering that elements are dictated by the number of protons, neutrons and electrons that it possesses, scientists have been working to find ways to create new metals through transmutation. Doesn't that sound interesting, Gatogi?" The glasses-wearing teacher singled out Jaden, noticing that the boy fast asleep.

The whole turned to find the half-Japanese student collapsed on his desk, his arms blocking out the sunlight from his eyes.

"Gatogi!" Mrs Kishiko raised her voice and successfully brought Jaden back from his slumber.

"Huh!" Jaden bolted upright and rubbed his eyes before realising the trouble that he was in. "Sorry… I had a rough day yesterday."

"It's fine that you're tired but it's rude to sleep during classes, unless it's English in which case, it's understandable." It sounded less like a joke and more like a snipe at the opposing subject as the students exchanged uncomfortable glances with each other. "Stand up, Gatogi. I have a question to run by you."

"Right…" Jaden stood from his chair nervously as he prepared for the question.

"Gold is most easily synthesised through the act of removing one of its protons. What is the original element that undergoes this process?"

"Oh… um…" Jaden started to sweat as he drew a blank. "Boy, there's a lot of metals that I could choose from, huh?" Noticing his friend struggle with the question, Kota's mind kicked into gear. He noticed that the answer was in the question. All he needed to do was to remember where gold was on the periodic table and its neighbour.

"Mercury," Kota spoke, just quietly enough for his voice not to carry to the teacher. He could just see Jaden from the corner of his eye as Jaden briefly looked back at him.

"Is it… mercury?" Mrs Kishiko sighed.

"Your tone suggests that you didn't really know, but you're correct. Mercury is the correct answer. Since mercury has 80 protons and gold has 79, it's possible to create gold through mercury by lowering its proton count by one." Relieved, Jaden sunk back into his chair as Mrs Kishiko continued. "It sounds easy enough in theory, but it's impractical to conduct to this day. Not only does the resulting material become radioactive, but the cost to carry out this process far exceeds gold's market price."

Jaden was careful not to draw attention to himself as he leaned towards Kota, who sat in the row in front of him.

"I owe you a drink after this. Thanks a bunch." Kota could also hear a few soft mummers around the room as many of his classmates noticed the assistance that he gave his friend. He could almost sense a few eyes on him as he refocused on not falling asleep.

 _It's too late to start napping now, huh?_

Kota stared blankly at the teacher as he counted down to the minutes to the nearest break.

* * *

By lunchtime, the sleepiness that Kota struggled to keep in check had tapered off. From the moment the bell sounded, his classmates were quick to either group up with their friends or bolt out the door on their way to either the canteen or a spot outside where they could soak in the warm sunlight. Kota would have taken off for the canteen by this point if Akina hadn't prepared lunches for him and Jaden. After sleeping through the time that he would usually allocate for his breakfast, the Wild Card user was eager to have something to eat.

A short time later, the group settled down under the shade of the wooded area of the school grounds. Kota took a moment to enjoy the refreshing breeze as he sat on the grass before Akina held out a red and white checked cloth that cradled a polished wooden box.

"I… hope you like it." Akina appeared nervous as she passed the bento on to Kota. It was the first time he got to taste anything from prepared by his beanie-wearing classmate but after seeing the cake she baked for Ms Tourmi last week, the cyan-haired teen had high hopes.

"I'm sure it'll be great," Kota reassured, giving her a kind smile before opening the boxed lunch. The meal was neatly organised between the three columns, holding seasoned rice, sweet and sour chicken and egg with an assortment of vegetables in each compartment. He could feel his stomach twist in pain as though it was crying out for the food in front of him.

As Kota took hold of a piece of chicken with his chopsticks and eagerly brought it towards his mouth, he could smell the mouth-watering scent. A single bite confirmed that the taste lived up to his expectations as the sweetness flooded his tongue.

"Man, this was just what I needed after all that we went through yesterday." Having already taken his first mouthful, Jaden could barely contain his praise before swallowing the piece of chicken. "Your cooking is as good as I remember it, Akina." Kota nodded in agreement.

"It tastes so much better than anything that the canteen serves."

"Come on, you guys. It's not like it's anything special. Still, I'm glad to hear that you both like it..." Akina gave an embarrassed smile as she started on her own lunch. Kota took the time to savour more of the bento before voicing his thoughts.

"I'm surprised that you went out of the way to make lunch for us. You looked beat when we made it back to the dorms."

"I was," The girl said as rubbed her right eye. While she looked to be feeling the effects of yesterday's battle as well, Akina appeared to be handling her tiredness better than both of her guy friends. "I just about passed out the moment I returned home and slept through dinner. When I woke up, dawn had only just arrived so I figured that it would be nice if I made extra lunches for you two as a treat. It's better than Jaden's plan of going to whatever junk food joint he'd scoped out this time." She added the final sentence with a sly glance at the blonde, who simply shrugged off the intentional jab.

"You don't know what you're missing out on."

"Processed foods with a high risk of future heart disease?" Akina gave Jaden a deadpan look, not taking him seriously. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"It tastes better than it sounds. Trust me."

Kota chuckled at the pair's banter as he continued to enjoy his lunch. Everyone was in a bright mood as the group continued to eat, feeling rejuvenated after a sluggish morning. Jaden and Akina continued talking between the two of them as the third student kept quiet as he stared blankly at his bento.

"What's gotten you all deep in thought?" Kota hadn't realised that he zoned out until Jaden spoke to him.

"Nothing…" Kota turned away from the blonde, uncomfortably "It's a little embarrassing, actually…"

"Oh, yeah?" Jaden's ears perked up as Akina narrowed her eyes at him.

"Knock it off Jaden. He doesn't want to share it."

"No, it's fine." Having put a slight damper on the mood, Kota figured that he might as well let them in on his thoughts. "I… was just wondering what things would have been like if when weren't dragged into all this Persona business." The amnesiac mindlessly rolled his chopsticks between his fingers. "Would we have been better off if we hadn't known about the Subex?"

"What difference would that have made?" Jaden was quick to respond, his voice filled with confidence. "I'm sure that things would play out the same way on this end."

"Well… The stuff that my Despair put me through changed the way I treated you both…" Akina sounded ashamed as she thought back to her first experience in the Subex. "It was terrible at the time but I'm glad it helped us grow closer."

"Yeah. I guess things turned out for the better, the looming threat of an early death aside…" While trying to sound joking, Jaden spoke more darkly as though distort about something. As Kota noticed this, Jaden was back to his chipper self after a deep breath. "Still, it's not worth thinking about what could have been." He picked up his can of soda and held it up towards his friends. "On that note, how about we share a toast? To our successful mission!"

"Cheers!" Kota took his own can that Jaden bought for him and made contact with the music-lover's drink.

"That's not how toasts work…" Despite this, Akina grabbed her juice box and joined the other two. The trio took a sip from their respective drinks as Kota was reminded of Glitch's request after saving Zaki.

"Right, I just remembered. Glitch asked me yesterday to visit her later today. She just wanted to give me something to help us communicate, but she was going to have extras ready for you if you both could make it."

"So… she wants to see us after school?" Jaden questioned, sounding slightly worried.

"Yeah," Kota replied, growing suspicious of his friend. "Will that be a problem?"

"Actually, it will be," Akina spoke with similar apprehension as her blonde friend. "Maybe we could come along during the weekend instead."

"You too, Akina?" Kota looked back and forth between the two as he tried to work out what was going on. "Do you two have a date planned?"

"Nah uh! No way! Definitely not!" Akina strongly and quickly denied Kota's words as Jaden shot her a look of bitterness.

"Jeez. Way to make a guy feel wanted…"

"What is it then?" Kota pressed, leading his two friends to exchange looks as though each of them was waiting for the other to bail them out. After a moment of silence, Jaden spoke up.

"I-It's a secret! Sorry, but we can't tell you."

"Fine. I won't pry then." Kota was bothered by the pair's secrecy but made the decision to let it go.

"Don't feel bad, okay? You'll understand later," said Akina, sensing Kota's disappointment.

"… Okay." He wasn't pleased by being kept in the dark, though he realised that he wasn't one to talk.

Even with everything he'd been through with Jaden and Akina, he hadn't told them about his amnesia, about how he arrived in Iwatodai with almost nothing. With everything that has been going on with the Subex, he realised how suspicious that would look to them. As much as he wanted to tell them anyway, there was no telling how it would impact his relationship with them, particularly with all the crazy things that have been happening over the last few weeks. He knew that if he was to tell them, he could never take those words back.

* * *

With the anticipation of meeting with Glitch later in the day, Kota found that the day slowed to a crawl as the final bell approached. As the final class of the day drew to a close Jaden and Akina excused themselves and left the classroom ahead of him. They gave him no indication of what they were up to, so Kota figured that it was related to whatever it was they were hiding from him. Slightly annoyed by the development, the teenager made the lonely journey back to the Iwatodai Dormitory.

Upon returning, Kota tossed his schoolbag onto the lounge-area table and sat himself down on one of the adjacent sofas. Pulling up his sleeve, the boy looked into the face of his Transferal, the inky darkness behind the lens almost alluring as it eyes remained transfixed on the device. With a press of the crown, Kota found himself brought into the Subex once again.

The Persona-user stood up in the dilapidated version of his dormitory and stepped outside. The sounds of grinding gears and pistons could be heard from the distance as the suit-wearing teen walked under the dark, spiralling clouds in the sky.

"Are you the only one here?" The familiar trenchcoat-clad being was leaning against the wall just to Kota's right, appearing as though she was waiting patiently for his arrival.

"Yeah… The others said they had something on." Kota couldn't hide the bitterness in his voice as he spoke of them. "Did you end up finishing that communicator?"

"Easily, though I could only create one that your group can use." Glitch held out her hand to reveal a small chrome-looking object. "If I were to make more, there would be a chance that the link between more than two devices would be strained, causing the signal to scramble. I haven't made my own yet, though I should be able to make adjustments until the frequency matches your own communicator."

"That sounds rather difficult." Kota took the small device and brought it level to his eye. It was small enough and was shaped in such a way that it could sit nicely inside of an ear, though it was impossible to tell how works just by looking at it.

"It's just a matter of testing the device until I can secure a connection. It's just a question of whether it'll be done in time for when I'll need to contact you."

"What happens if you don't finish it in time?"

"Then I'll just hack your phone again."

"… I really hope it doesn't come to that, again." The Wild Card clenched the communicator in his hand and looked at his surroundings. The Subex looked the same as ever, mirroring the coastal city in the physical world, only feeling empty like a ghost town. "It must get pretty lonely, having to stay here by yourself."

"I suppose. It has always been this way until your group showed up."

"So… you don't mind it?" The stone-faced girl simply shrugged in response. It was hard to get a reading on the Subex-dweller, but Kota imaged that it would bother anyone to be confined to such a barren place.

"Do you mind if I asked you something personal? What exactly… are you?" Glitch furrowed her brow, making Kota realise that he should have put it more delicately. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean any offence!"

"Don't apologise. It's only natural that you're confused by my existence." The guide gave a tired sigh, thinking carefully about how answer Kota. "For as long as I can remember, I've always been wandering through the Subex. I've grown to understand this place and its importance in maintaining the balance of the world as we know it. It was my understanding that the sole purpose of my existence was to watch over the Subex… to ensure that it wouldn't collapse and bring chaos to the world. That was… until I came across this."

Glitch reached inside of her coat pulled out a simple-looking hand mirror. The back had no design, sporting just a rich shade of red. When Kota caught a glimpse of the reflective face of the mirror, he immediately felt a chill on the back of his neck that brought him back to journey to rescue Akina not too long ago.

"The mirror shard from the fun house." Glitch nodded in response to Kota's exclamation.

"When I first looked into the mirror, I saw someone who wasn't me. She looked someone who belonged on the surface. I only saw her briefly, though it left such a strong impression that I can't help but remember that face whenever I look into this mirror." Her eyes fell back on the mirror as though they were searching for the very image she was describing. "This may sound silly, but… I have a hunch that that girl might have been me before I became this."

Silence fell between the pair as Kota digested Glitch's words.

"I think you might be right. You once said that you didn't have a body that you could use to leave the Subex. Maybe there is one out there that belongs to you and you just have to find it."

"I've considered that possibility and it does stand to be the most obvious explanation. However, I don't have any reason to be optimistic," Glitch said darkly as she tucked the mirror back under her coat. "I've been here well before you first arrived. While it's hard to get I sense of time passing in the Subex, I imagine a body that has been separated from its consciousness for the length of time I've been here would have already withered away due to thirst."

"You told me yesterday that I shouldn't assume the worse while there are other explanations. If your body was taken to a hospital, the doctors there would be able to keep you alive. I'm sure that it will work out."

"I suppose that could be the case." Glitch looked to be deep in thought for a brief moment before looking back to Kota. "I apologise for making my troubles your business."

"There isn't anything to apologise for. You helped me out yesterday so I was just looking to return the favour." Kota looked at his ally with kind eyes. Glitch seemed at a loss, unsure of how to respond before steadying herself with an exhale.

"I'm glad that you and your friends agreed to help protect the Subex. Thank you."

"You're welcome. We'll keep coming back as long as we need to." After giving her a winning smile, Kota looked at the small device in his hand. "So, I'll just need put this on for me to hear you, right?"

"That's right." Picking up where they left off, glitch went on to explain the workings of the communicator. "It won't appear on the surface but you should be able to hear me as though you're wearing an ordinary earpiece. I can pick up any sounds that you hear as well, which will allow the two of us to communicate."

Kota slotted the device in his right ear which fitted in quite comfortably. Satisfied, he looked back to Glitch.

"I need to get back to the dorm and make a start on the schoolwork that I've been putting off. Take care of yourself." Glitch showed her acknowledgement by giving a small nod.

"I'll have my own communicator finished shortly." Kota returned to the interior of the Subex-dormitory and sat down in place of his silhouette, bringing his consciousness back to the physical world. Finding himself back in his dormitory, he placed his index finger in his right ear where he placed the communicator to find that there was nothing there, as he expected.

With his business in the Subex having concluded, the schoolboy leaned forward to reach for his workbook and one of the textbooks from his bag. Kota went into the task that was set for him by his English teacher though as he continued to revise the material and practice his pronunciation. As he continued to slave away at the task, Kota began to feel uneasy from the silence that persisted in the dormitory's lounge room.

While he wasn't the most diligent student, Jaden was great at English and Akina had a way of keeping everyone focused on the task whenever they were addressing schoolwork. Thinking about them made him wish that they were both studying with him, particularly while he was in the empty dormitory room that made him feel even more lonely. Still, he couldn't complain.

"I can't imagine what it must be like, being trapped in that place…" Kota suddenly felt guilty as he thoughts back to Glitch. He wanted to do whatever he could to help her out of there. Sadly, he wouldn't have known where to begin. Finding it difficult to gather up the motivation to study, Kota continued to work as best he could without much avail.

 **Thou art I… And I am thou…**

 **Thou hast established a new bond…**

 **It helps bridges the gap towards humanity's true fate…**

 **Thou shalt be blessed with a Persona of the Hermit Arcana…**

* * *

 **Thursday 25th of April**

Kota was looking forward to the end of lessons the following day. It was finally time for him to take part in his Kendo Club practice. After hurrying to the gym and changing into his training gear, the teenager found Daichi and Yuto picking out their gear with the other club members. Daichi was the first to notice the latest addition to the Kendo club.

"You made it," Daichi called out Kota as he approached the boys. "So, are you raring to go?"

"You could say that." In truth, Kota had been eager for the chance to learn Kendo since he and his friends had returned Zaki to the physical world safely. He wasn't certain that it would help but he hoped that practising two-handed sword techniques would benefit his fighting ability in the Subex. The Wild Card was desperate to redeem himself after the katana-wielding Shadow soundly bested him in sword fighting before Akina and Jaden intervened.

"You don't have to worry about being worked too hard," Yuto chimed in. "Practice is usually just made up of training drills in pairs before holding a few matches at the end."

"I'll be happy to pair up with you this time, if you're not planning to go with someone else," Daichi offered. Having been one of the friendlier faces that welcomed him to Gekkoukan at the start of the school year, Kota was secretly relieved by the offer.

"I don't really know anyone else here, so that works for me."

"Don't worry, the drills aren't particularly tough so you shouldn't have much trouble getting through them. I'm not going to be holding back for the match at the end though so make sure you're well prepared."

"You're looking to get an easy win for the sparring at the end, aren't you?" Yuto questioned.

"Is it so hard to accept that I'm a nice guy who wants to help out the new recruit?" Daichi frowned, annoyed that his intentions were questioned. "Why would I be desperate to win?"

"I dunno. Maybe you're trying to weasel your way out of paying for drinks at the end. Or, maybe…" Yuto gave a sly smile as he let the silence build suspense before his next words. "You're trying to look cool in front of Ms Ogata after losing earlier this week." Daichi appeared flustered as mood changed suddenly.

"What?! N-No way?! That's definitely not it!" He was red in the face as Yuto crossed his arms, looking rather smug as he turned to Kota.

"What do you think? He sounds like he has a thing for the manager, don't you think?" The cyan-haired boy observed Daichi with a thoughtful expression.

"He does seem suspicious…"

"Right?! He's totally love-struck."

"Can you two knock it off!" Daichi burst out, putting an end to the boys' chatter. "There's seriously no ulterior motive in helping Isarota out. Besides, beating a noobie is hardly going to grab her attention."

"Who's attention?"

"Ah!" Daichi just about jumped out of his skin when he heard the calm voice of the club manager from behind him. The second-year student turned to face the slender girl, who was patiently waiting for a response. "I-It's nothing for you to worry about, Ogata-senpai!"

"If you're in the middle of a private conversation, you should keep your voice down." Akemi looked unimpressed as she coolly spoke. "Practice is about to begin."

"U-Understood." Luckily for Daichi, Akemi didn't appear to gather that he was referring to her. With that nervous response, the senior looked to Kota.

"So, Isarota, do you need any help getting started?"

"I'll be fine. Imatsu offered to show me ropes today." Yuto smiled mischievously, still present in the conversation.

"Yeah. Isn't he such a swell guy?" Daichi looked like he wanted to hit Yuto right then and there, but he was able to restrain himself.

"I suppose. It's admirable that someone to take the time to help out a fellow club member." Akemi seemed disinterested as she looked eager to make a start to the club activities. "Gather up your gear and get ready to line up for the exercises." She eyed each of the three guys firmly before heading towards another group that seemed preoccupied with a conversation of their own.

"Isn't that great, Daichi? Ogata-senpai totally complimented you." Once the manager was out of earshot, Yuto beamed at his fellow clubman only to receive a glare in return.

"Shut up," Daichi grumbled as his teasing friend pouted.

"Talk about ungrateful. You'll thank me later." Yuto took off for the rest of his armour. The long-haired student composed himself with a deep breath and looked Kota, still visibly embarrassed by what had transpired.

"Come on. We'll need to fit you with some armour before we can get started."

* * *

"Keep your shoulders relaxed and focus on your breathing." Nodding, Kota took a deep exhale and held his bamboo sword just above Daichi's head.

Now fully geared in their armour, the pair was finishing off with an exercise known as Kirikaeshi. It was Kota's turn to take a series of swings at Daichi, alternating between the boy's left and right side as he tries to parry them.

Kota's arms started to tire as he was reaching the home stretch of their training. Unfortunately, the endurance that he would have built from his ventures into the Subex didn't appear to carry over to his actual body.

Following the example of the pairs that went before him, Kota gave a yell as he hit Daichi over the helmet before locking swords with him. Pushing his partner back, the Persona-user started dealing his nine strikes with a grunt for each. As Kota moved towards Daichi, the boy matched his pace going backwards and deflected each swing with absolute focus.

Despite his lungs starting to burn, the new recruit was able to dish out nine solid swings before hitting his partner one more time over the head, signalling the end of the exercise. As Kota caught his breath, Daichi his bamboo sword to his side.

"Nicely done, though you could work on raising your voice more." Kota remained hunched over, gasping for air.

"I still feel… a little awkward… making all this noise though."

"It'll come more naturally in the next few weeks, I'm sure." Daichi held his sword in front of him again, grasping it firmly in both of his hands. "My turn." Not excited for what was to come, Kota his own sword at the ready in preparation for the onslaught.

Daichi sounded a powerful yell as he locked swords with his partner. Kota backed away as Daichi's blows started to come at him hard and fast. The repeated shouts from each hit almost intimidated the Wild Card as he concerned himself with just getting his sword in the way of the incoming swings. With each clash, Kota's control over the bamboo in his hands started to weaken. The weight of the weapon in his hands worked against him as he was forced to position it in the way of the following blows without any time to assess his technique.

While Daichi's swings were noticeably faster than Kota's, it felt that it took twice as long for his partner to finish his nine swings before it ended. The rookie kendoka fell backwards with the final hit on his helmet, spent from the training that turned out to be more gruelling than what he was promised.

"You alright?" Daichi was quick to offer out his hand as he pulled Kota back to his feet. "You'll need to remain flexible with your grip. If you clench the sword too tightly, you'll have difficulty absorbing the opponent's blows."

"I see…" With the heat getting to him, Kota headed towards the gym stands with Daichi and out of the practice area before discarding his helmet. Taking a breather, he looked at the other club members continue their practice. A few of the younger students had finished their sets, though the more experienced members were still at it. Despite appearing to be as easy-going bunch early in the week, they worked as hard as any other club, even if they clocked out earlier than most.

"Don't be discouraged. It's always tough the first time you try it. Heck, beginners normally wouldn't be doing half the stuff you just went through. You picked up a lot of the fundamentals pretty quickly, actually." Kota figured that he had his fights with the Shadows to thank for that. After awakening to Dante, he'd been gradually improved his two-handed sword skill as he looked to lessen his reliance on his Personas.

"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without your tutorage." Daichi may have claimed to be at a lower level than the majority of his peers, but he was a great teacher. He was quick to identify a lot of the faults in Kota's sword work while wielding his own weapon like a true professional. It was a wonder why he and his clubmates thought so little of his abilities.

"You're just saying that," Daichi said, bashfully running his hand through his dark hair. "So, after the rest of the group is finished, all that's left is the matches. You should give it a rest for today though since it's your first time and you look totally beat."

"Sure, but I wouldn't mind starting matches next time." Daichi gave him an amused look, though a pleased smile had formed on his face.

"Maybe not that soon, but keep coming to training and I'm sure it won't be long until you're ready." Kota gave an understanding nod before Akemi called for the club members to start pairing off for the matches.

* * *

 **Friday 26th of April**

For the first time since waking up in the hospital, Zaki was attending classes again. He didn't arrive until morning homeroom was just finishing up. He was able to sneak in while Mr Ekoda wasn't looking, though his classmates all noticed as they stared at the latecomer while exchanging the odd whisper among themselves. Kanade was the only person who seems overjoyed as Zaki took his seat next to her. She looked as though she wanted to say something before Mr Ekoda started addressing the class again and leaving to allow the first class to commence.

Having skipped breakfast because of the amount of time that he had slept in for, Zaki snuck a chocolate bar into class and was able to nibble at it while Mr Ono continued to drone on about Japanese history while not paying any attention to his students.

After eating the chocolate Zaki's mind started to wander, recalling the dream he had that deeply disturbed him. He was atop of a burnt-out tower and was about to jump when a bunch of people around his age interrupted him before fighting off a giant monster. The whole sequence of events seemed so far-fetched that it could only have been made up by his imagination. Still, he couldn't bring himself to shrug it off. He could just about feel the stuffy air as he breathed and the scorching heat as he witnessed the fight with the monster.

Zaki couldn't focus on any of the classes up until the bell sounded to signal the beginning of lunch. Within seconds, a familiar face was quick to approach his desk. Kanade stood before him clasping a boxed lunch, grinning sweetly from ear-to-ear.

"You're back!"

"I guess I am." While he tried to seem nonchalant with his response, a small smile forced Zaki to avert his eyes from her. Even someone as cold as him could resist the bespectacled girl's infectious smile.

"So, are you all better now? Did the doctors know what happened to you?"

"I'm fine now but the doctors couldn't tell me what the problem was in the first place," Zaki said truthfully. "They said that I just fell into a coma and woke up later that day like there wasn't a problem. They're suspecting that it was stress-related." The girl quickly started to look worried and maybe a little guilty.

"You've been feeling stressed?"

"Maybe a little but honestly, it's not a problem. It's nothing like what happened before…" Zaki didn't elaborate knowing that he didn't need to. Kanade knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Oh…" Kanade wore a downcast look, momentarily. "Well, I'm just glad that you're okay now. Say, you didn't skip breakfast again, did you?" The girl looked down with concern at the boy.

"What made you think that?" The blunt tone didn't faze her. She had long gotten used to it after all the times they had conversed since they both had begun their freshman year.

"I noticed you eating during class." Zaki looked at the desk with unease.

"Yeah, but you don't need to worry about that."

"But it's the most important meal of the day!" While Zaki wanted to wave off her concern, the sad look in Kanade's eyes told him that that wouldn't have been a good idea.

"I ended up sleeping in, so I didn't have the time."

"I guess you only just got out of the hospital, so I understand." Despite her words, Kanade looked bothered. "Were you able to prepare your lunch for today?"

"I ate it during class."

"That was all you had for lunch? You should eat more or you'll get sick again," Kanade chided him before holding her boxed lunch towards him, presenting to Zaki. "Have some of mine. I made enough for two in case you needed it."

"…Thanks." While he wasn't good at showing it, he was grateful for Kanade's offer. This wasn't the first time that he had lunch that his friend had prepared, so he trusted that it would be better than anything that he would make for himself. Without another word, Zaki stood up and exited the classroom alongside Kanade.

The pair headed towards the usual spot where they eat lunch, the courtyard outside of the gymnasium. A pleasant breeze swept through the blades of grass as Kanade prepared a rug to sit on and laid out two pairs of chopsticks.

"I hope you don't mind that there's more egg in today's meal. I made sure that they tasted sweeter than usual." Kanade opened the box to show off its contents. While she spoke about the egg specifically, there was also a generous amount of fried rice and small servings of cake. She would usually have more vegetables with her lunch, but she seemed to have suspiciously tailored the meal to his own tastes.

"I'm not fussed. This is your lunch, so I can't really complain."

"Still, I won't be happy if it isn't to your liking."

"Trust me, you don't have anything to worry about." Kanade seemed pleased with Zaki's sly compliment, putting on another of her sweet smiles before getting started on the boxed meal.

Meanwhile, Zaki continued to dwell on that dream that continued to nag at him. The feeling of loss and hopelessness during that time was all too familiar. He couldn't recall the faces of the people that rescued him, but he felt that he had known at least one of them. Considering that this all happened during a brief coma that no one in the hospital could explain to him, he was certain that it was no ordinary dream.

"Are you feeling alright? You haven't touched your food yet." Kanade's purple eyes were firmly on him, waiting for him to take his first bite.

"Sorry…" Zaki picked up an egg roll from the box. Upon placing it in his mouth, his tongue was greeted with the sweet coating over the egg. It was delicious, but it called attention to the unsavoury thought that he had since waking up in the hospital.

Everything Kanade did was done out of consideration of him. The prepared lunches and the extra effort she put in to make it more to his liking, the chocolate and "get well soon" card she left by his hospital bed, even choosing to stick with him no matter how many fights he got caught up in. Zaki knew that he had a lot of influence over Kanade and, after confronting the sad reality of his fate through that dream, it didn't sit right with him.

The sweet aftertaste grew bitter as Zaki slowly placed his chopsticks next to the largely-full box, earning him a confused look from Kanade.

"A future that won't lead to despair…" Zaki muttered quietly to himself.

No matter how Kanade felt about it, cutting ties with her was the only possible solution.

"Did you say something?" Kanade wasn't quite able to catch her friend's words. "Is something not right with the food?"

"No…" Zaki's face remained hardened, but his blue eyes couldn't meet her gaze. "It's great."

"Is it that you're not feeling well? I can help you to the sickbay."

"Please stop."

"Zaki?" The warm atmosphere under the pleasant spring sunlight suddenly went cold as the glove-wearing boy kept his eyes on his chopsticks.

"We can't keep seeing each other like this."

"What do you mean? If there is something troubling you, I want to help!" Pain started to burn into the boy's chest as he fought himself to remain quiet. "Zaki, talk to me!"

"You don't owe anything to me. You'll be better off finding some other friends."

"This… isn't a joke is it?" Kanade started to sound increasingly upset as she struggled to understand him. "This isn't funny."

"You deserve better than some delinquent. You're too kind to be caught up with my bullshit." It was a weak excuse and he felt sick for saying it, but he had to say something, even if it wasn't going to make the ending of this friendship any easier.

"But…" Her words never came as Kanade was overwhelmed with emotion.

Zaki rose his head slightly to see that Kanade was now the one who was averting her eyes. Even though it was hard to see her face it was clear that she was now fighting back her tears.

"Please... don't worry about me anymore. I'm sorry."

Not bearing the be with her any longer, Zaki briskly headed back to the school building. As much as it hurt to turn his back on her, he was certain that it would be for the best. She could easily befriend anyone with the amount of kindness she possessed and she won't have to go out of the way to do anything for him or get caught up in the trouble that Zaki would get himself into.

Most importantly, it would protect Kanade from the tragedy that could befall her if they continued down that path.

"Shodaru!" Zaki abruptly stopped his aimless march through the school and looked in the direction of the voice to find a familiar boy with cyan-coloured hair. He immediately identified him as the person he bumped into after his lecture from Mr Kobayashi, but that meeting wasn't the reason for the remarkably strong impression that he got from him. Thinking back to his dream, the boy had the same face as one of the guys that saved him. He was certain that that boy knew something, whether it was something to do with the dream he had or the reason he blacked out in the first place.

No longer his usual composed self, Zaki stormed up to the fellow student and took a fistful of his shirt. Uncaring for the attention he was attracting from the other students passing by, the renowned delinquent pushed him into the nearby wall.

"I've seen you earlier... after we met outside of the principal's office." Zaki's grip tightened as he bore into the guy with an intense gaze. "Isn't that right?"

"Y-Yeah!" The boy seemed shocked by how quickly the situation had escalated but didn't provide any resistance against the goalkeeper's grasp.

"You're going to explain what happened on Tuesday. Got it?"

"Of course. My friends and I have been meaning to talk to you about it." Satisfied, Zaki let go of the second-year while maintaining his cold glare.

"I'll be on the jetty at the end of Korana Strip. Be there once you're ready." With that, the dark-haired boy took his leave, heading for the front gate well before school ended for the day.


	15. Dorm Crashers

**Chapter 15: Friday 26th of April**

Just as Kota started to settle into the mundane life of a high school student, his confrontation with Zaki served as a reminder that the life he was leading was far from ordinary. Zaki had woken from his coma less than a week ago and the transfer student knew that it was on him to clarify what had happened to him. In the end, the glove-wearing boy beat him to it and asked him to explain everything in Korana Strip, taking off before classes had finished for the day.

After informing Jaden and Akina on this development, the trio took the first tram available after the final bell and headed immediately to the outdoor shopping complex. The strip was a wide path with a large variety of shops lining either side of the pavement. Dashes of greenery and a collection of unique statues and fountains stretched down the length of the road from the arch that welcomed the students from the main road all the way to the ocean.

"So, Shodaru said he was waiting for us around here, right?" Jaden walked with Kota and Akina down the busy road. While it wasn't as popular as Paulownia Mall with the Gekkoukan students, Korana Strip often drew in large crowds of all ages when the weather was warm.

"At the end of the jetty. Is it further down this way?" Having never entered the newest shopping district of Port Island until now, Kota took in the line of stores and was immediately impressed by how much Korana had to offer. It had just about everything from high-end restaurants and jewellers to kid's toy stores and popular clothing chains.

"Yep. The strip runs all the way to the coast and continues on to the jetty." Akina led the group through the crowds as one of the attractions took Jaden's eyes.

"It's been a while since I've come through here. Maybe I should check out the arcade once we're done."

"Maybe you should save that for another day," Akina replied, almost snappily.

"Huh?" Jaden looked confused before appearing to come to some realisation. "Oh, I… guess you're right."

Kota eyed the pair with suspicion as they never clarified the meaning behind Akina's words. They continued to be secretive around him since they had lunch together a couple of days ago. Between reporting to Glitch and attending kendo practice, Kota hadn't been able to keep an eye on them but he knew that they were up to something.

"We're about to meet with the infamous Zaki Shodaru, huh?" Akina spoke seriously as they continued down the strip. "I know that you like him, Jaden, but I'm not sure if it safe to meet up with him like this. He sounds as though he has a nasty temper."

"He'd never laid his hands on an innocent person before," Jaden said, confidently. "He'd only ever picked fights with bullies."

"But he could have hurt Kota at school today!" Akina exclaimed, taking the action against her friend personally. "Honestly, what was he thinking? Rough-handling you in front of other people like that."

"It really wasn't that bad. He let go of me once I agreed to clear things up for him." Kota tried downplaying the altercation with the fellow second year, looking to calm the white-haired girl.

"I'm sure he was panicked by what happened in the Subex," Jaden tried to reason. "It's not like he had anyone around to help explain that stuff like we did."

"I suppose." Akina started to understand, though her unwillingness to let Zaki's actions go made her speak reluctantly.

"Regardless, he deserves to hear about the Subex and we're the only ones that can help him with that." The group stopped momentarily as Akina turned to Kota. Seeing his firm desire to inform the latest victim of the Subex was eventually what won her over.

"If you two think he's alright, then so do I."

With that, the group continued to make their way to end of the path, making some small talk about the odd store as they passed them by. After covering most of the district by foot, Kota noticed a strange blue glow piercing the darkness in one of the alleyways.

Wedged between a pair of buildings, a door of platinum with a golden doorknob stood out from the shadows. A star with a familiar shade of blue and lined with gold was printed at the doors eye-level, reminding Kota of the Velvet Room that he had sometimes found himself in while he was sleeping. The boy stopped and looked at the shop goers around him to find that no-one else seemed to notice the glowing door that was so obviously out of place.

"Kota! The jetty's this way!" Kota looked over to Jaden, who had kept heading towards their destination with Akina while the Wild Card was preoccupied. "You coming?!"

"Yeah, sorry!" The amnesiac took one last glance at the mysterious-looking door before running to catch up with his friends. Suspecting that it had something to do with the Velvet Room, Kota tried to remember the door's location so he could investigate it when he had the time.

After eventually reaching the end of the strip, the group crossed the road that ran along the coastline and made their way across the wooden planks of the jetty. The structure had a few fishermen with their lines cast over the railings but it was otherwise empty aside from the four Gekkoukan students.

Zaki was at the very end of the jetty, looking down into the seawater as waited patiently. It was an interesting spot to talk about what happened earlier that Tuesday, seeing that it was the exact spot where the delinquent passed out that day, though the fact that they were relatively isolated helped put aside any worry that any stray ears would be listening in on the discussion.

"Shodaru!" With the sound of his name, Zaki turned towards Kota's voice to find the group of Persona-users. "We're here."

"So, you three were the ones I saw in my dream…" Zaki gave Jaden and Akina a piercing gaze, as though mentally working to connect the pair's faces with what he could recall from his time in the Subex. Akina looked particularly uncomfortable as he observed them, though the sharpness of his gaze appeared to vanish before long. "I think I see it now."

"I haven't been able to introduce myself. My name's Kota Isarota. I just moved to Iwatodai at the start of the year." The boy gave a polite nod as the others followed his lead.

"I'm Akina Yonashi. We're in the same year but we've never actually met until now."

"You probably already know this, since we're part of the same club, but the name's Jaden Gatogi. Say, how have things been since you woke up?"

"… Not bad." Zaki's focus seemed to waver as he looked over his shoulder towards the seawater beneath the jetty. He collected himself with a steady breath before turning back to the trio. "Never mind me though. I want to hear an explanation what you guys were doing. The things I saw during my coma… Was it really a dream?"

"No… but kinda yes?" Jaden scratched his head as he gave his nothing response. Knowing that that wasn't enough to satisfy Zaki, Kota stepped in.

"It's a little complicated. If you could bear with us, we'll do our best to answer any questions you have."

* * *

Time marched onwards as Kota and the others continued to answer the numerous questions. He could tell that Zaki was serious about getting to the bottom of what happened, his questions thorough and rapid as he looked to be brought up to speed. For a known troublemaker, the boy was quite sharp, digesting each answer without pause while continuing his line of questioning.

"What about the things you used to fight those 'Shadows'? What are they?"

"They're called Personas," Having answered the same questions for Akina less than a week ago, Kota had a clear response in mind. "Think of them as a person's Despair, only tamed when a person accepts their inner struggles and gains a renewed sense of hope."

"So, you all had to endure your own Despair at some point, correct?"

"Well, I did and so did Akina after that," Jaden said. "Kota skipped straight to his Persona though, so I guess it varies from person to person."

"Which likely means I have one of these Personas now… Anubis." Zaki muttered the name of his Persona as though he just realised that it lay dormant within him. "It's strange to say this considering what you've all just told me, but it's all starting to make sense. There's just one other thing… I found this in my room when I got back from the hospital. Any idea what this is?" Pulling a small object from his pocket, Zaki revealed what appeared to be a wristwatch. However, a closer look at it confirmed that the watch's face was disturbingly empty.

"The Transferal…" Kota had forgotten to explain the device to him until Zaki showed off one of his own. "That's what we use to enter in the Subex. The thing is, we don't know where they came from. They just appeared in our rooms one day."

"But if you have one of those and you've awakened to your Persona, that means you could fight with us in the Subex!" The possibility came to Jaden's mind as he suddenly got excited by the idea.

"Wait. You're inviting him to fight alongside us?" Akina quizzed, not quite as thrilled by the thought as he was.

"Why not? He has everything he needs and I bet he'll be really strong too."

"Can you not talk about me like I'm not here?" Zaki sounded irritated as the conversation took a drastic turn. He then realised how unnecessarily sassy his interjection was when the pair was silenced, leading him to take a steady breath to reset himself. "Listen, I'm thankful for the three of you getting me out of there and I respect you all putting your lives on the line for my sake. However, I can't say that I share your desire to do the same for another person."

"Really?" The disappointment was clearly evident in Jaden's voice. "I just figured that you'd be really good at fighting and stuff."

"Do you even comprehend the types of sacrifice you'd have to make to rescue people from the Subex?" Akina looked at the blonde, dumbfounded. "How can you are you able to talk someone into doing something like this so casually?" Trying to ignore the chatter, Zaki went on.

"I realise that I owe you all but I can't agree to anything at the moment. Today's been… pretty rough." It was then when Kota noticed how tired the boy looked. He could tell that something was weighing heavily on him, though he had the sense that it wasn't related to the time he spent in the Subex.

"If you ever change your mind, we'll be happy to have your help."

"I'll keep it in mind." Zaki turned to face the ocean again as the sun started to sink behind the towering building further inland. "I'll be hanging out here for a while longer. You're all free to go."

"Right. Say 'hi' to Kanade for me." Jaden remained cheery as the three friends returned to the strip, none of them noticing Zaki clench the wooden railing tightly as they made their leave.

Korana Strip had significantly fewer patrons filling the paved path as many of the shops were nearing their closing time. Beneath the slowly darkening sky, Kota felt relieved that he could help Zaki with his confusion. Though, ultimately, he was left bothered by the glimpses of sorrow that he was able to catch from the glove-wearing boy.

"He seemed pretty down." It was a simple statement, more for himself than his friends, that didn't intend to lead into a conversation. Akina looked at Kota and nodded in agreement anyway.

"I noticed that as well. Do you think something happened to him?"

"Possibly." The group made their back down Korana when Kota passed by the strange blue door again. His curiosity winning out, the boy halted his movement and waited for his companions to turn back to him. "I think I'll hang back for a bit. I want to have word with Zaki once he heads back."

"That works for us," Jaden said, sounding a little too pleased with Kota's departure.

"How so?" The transfer student was reminded of his friends' secrecy as Jaden bore a shocked look on his face, mouth agape.

"Don't mind him." Akina brief shot the blonde a nasty glare for his comment. "Anyway, you'll be in your dormitory later tonight, right?"

"It's not like I'd be anywhere else. Why's that?"

"We're just thinking of dropping by is all!" Jaden nervously exclaimed. "It's not a big deal or anything."

Even for someone as dense as he was, Kota could tell that this visit had something to do with their unusual behaviour. Though, in the end, it didn't really matter to him. If his friends were offering to visit, he wasn't going to decline.

"I'd like that, but if you're looking to come for dinner I won't be able to prepare anything for you."

"That's fine. We'll bring something over." Akina was beaming, seemingly excited for tonight. "See you soon!"

"Yeah. Look forward to it!" Jaden gave his own parting words any they headed back to the tram stop. When he had lost sight of the pair through the crowd, Kota approached the mysterious door, the warm blue light it radiated beckoning him forward.

Figuring that his investigation would be brief, the Wild Card bearer reached a cautious hand towards the doorknob. He didn't even touch the translucent object before it shone an incredibly intense light, swallowing him.

He could feel the light pull his consciousness through the gateway, leaving his body behind in the empty alleyway.

* * *

The bright light surrounding Kota's vision dulled at the tell-tale sound of methodical ticking. He didn't need to see the clockfaces counting down overhead or the surrounding cameras to know that he had made his way back to the Velvet Room.

Letting his eyesight adjust after weathering the abrupt burst of light, Kota was surprised that he wasn't greeted with the long nose and bloodshot eyes of Igor. The enigmatic being was absent from the scene, leaving his assistant, Elsa, sitting at the table by herself with her eyes closed.

The beret-wearing girl hadn't notice Kota's entrance, have been preoccupied with her own thoughts. She was clenching the Persona Compendium to her chest, humming out a soothing tune in time with the swinging pendulum above the room.

A little while later, Elsa stopped humming as she senses another person's presence. She opened her eyes to find Kota standing by the starred door.

"Eek!" The book that Else cradled shot up to cover eyes, hiding her from the boy's view.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I was meaning to knock before using the door." Kota moved to the seat that he had previously found himself during his dreams of the room, getting eye-level with the timid attendant.

"O-Oh. N-No, it's fine." With the shock subsiding, Elsa lowered the tome from her face. "My master did suspect that you would come back here soon, though he's not here at the moment…" The redhead turned to Igor's empty chair, silently pleading for him to come and take control of the discussions like he had in the past.

"What was that song you were humming earlier?" Kota decided to speak up before things got too uncomfortable.

"Y-You heard that? U-Um, it's a song about my master. My older sisters used to sing for me whenever I was getting anxious about meeting him. It's called the 'Long-Nosed Song'."

"It sure sounds like it's about Igor."

"So you noticed how long his nose is?"

"It's… kind of hard to ignore," Kota answered in a deadpan manner, causing Elsa to giggle. She dropped her guard slightly as her anxiety started to leave her.

"Um… I noticed that you forged another bond since you were last here. I'll show you the Persona you got from it if you like." Elsa placed the Persona Compendium on the table in front of her before the tome burst open automatically. Pages quickly turned from cover-to-cover until it stopped part way to project a one-legged figure with a bronze helmet that covered one of its eyes. It bore what appeared to be blacksmithing gear, bearing black rubber gloves and apron and holding a hammer and set of tongs in each hand. The Persona also had scraps of metal attached to its shoulders, surrounded by the being's green skin.

"Ippon-Datara of the Hermit Arcana," Elsa stated, focusing her gaze on the Persona. "This person seems lost, unsure of who they really are and how they came to be. While I sense a great amount of confusion, I can also feel a strong resolve, a will to find their place that you helped ignite."

"I hope she finds her answer…" Kota felt almost helpless as he was reminded of Glitch's dilemma. While he promised to help her, he was uncertain about what he could do for her at that moment.

Ippon-Datara vanished and the heavy tome slammed itself shut. Igor's assistant dragged the book towards her, her nerves returning to her after running out of topics to talk about. Again, Kota took on the burden of initiating more small talk.

"Does Igor usually leave you here by yourself?"

"My master's very busy. He has many responsibilities to oversee so he's away more often than he is present. But being here's not so bad." Kota blinked, surprised with how accepting she was of being left in a cramped room on her lonesome.

"You don't mind being left here, alone?"

"Not at all. I… get nervous easily when I have to talk anyone. My sisters and brother are the only ones I really feel comfortable around."

"Still, I can't imagine that it's all that fun in here."

"I've never gotten bored here. Well… thanks to you, at least." Elsa looked down at the Persona Compendium as though it was something she treasured. "From the Velvet Room, I can observe you as you progress through your journey. I can see the bonds that you form, how they change with every interaction. I actually get really excited to see what happens next." The mysterious girl smiled at the book, her shoulders loosening as her body became at ease. It appeared as though she had forgotten that Kota was still there until she gave him a bashful look. "That… doesn't disturb you, does it?"

"No, it's not a problem. I hope I can provide you with more entertainment." Kota tried to give a light-hearted response to reassure her but it only made her more aware of how potentially creepy she sounded."

"Why did I even say those things? I feel so embarrassed now…" Before Else could retreat behind the compendium again, Kota was able to catch a glimpse of her bright red face. "Y-You were going to check on that boy again, right? You should go before you miss him."

"You're right." Uncertain about how time worked while he was in the Velvet Room, Kota thought that it was best for him to take his leave, just to be on the safe side. "I can come back here to visit some other time. That is… if you don't mind." He waited briefly for a response from behind the tome, though Elsa appeared as though she was frozen solid. Believing that his visit had worn her out, Kota got up from his seat.

"Um!" Just as she heard the chair move from underneath Kota, Elsa gave a panicked cry while still hiding her face. Eventually, she reluctantly lowered her massive book once again, only to avert her eyes and looking down at her feet. "I-I… would like that. Thank you…" Satisfied, Kota gave her a kind smile.

"I'll see you later, then." The boy promptly left the Velvet Room through the door he'd entered through, leaving Elsa alone once again.

The timid girl gave a calming breath to allow her heart rate to return to normal. Even after the guest had left, Elsa couldn't shake the embarrassment she felt from telling the Wild Card about her hobby. The last thing she needed was for the boy she was required to assist to label her as a creep. Just as her pessimistic thoughts started to run rampant, the book in her arms gave a faint glow.

"Huh?" Elsa looked at the object in alarm, sensing that something had changed since Kota visited. However, the assistant could tell from the touch of the cover that there hasn't been any major development with the Wild Card's powers. Still, her keen senses were telling her that a tiny, almost negligible source of strength was starting to awaken. "Interesting…" The girl unknowingly smiled as she gazed upon the compendium in her hands. "The bonds he is able to form really can reach anyone…"

* * *

Stepping back into Korana Strip from the dark alley, Kota was greeted by the fresh spring breeze. It appeared that only minutes had passed since he entered the Velvet Room, much to his relief. Ever since ensuring Zaki's safety, Kota wanted to have the opportunity to talk to Zaki in private. The sooner that he could, the better.

Fortunately, that opportunity came to him when Zaki was on his way back from the jetty. He caught sight of the cyan-haired boy just as Kota noticed him. Understanding that he couldn't wait for another day now that he'd been seen, Kota approached the fellow second-year.

"Was there something else that you wanted?" Zaki asked upon Kota's arrival.

"No. Nothing Subex-related at least. Do you mind if I borrow some more of your time?"

"Go ahead." In truth, Kota wasn't sure how his request would be received by someone who he'd only recently met under unusual circumstances, but he was eager to do something about the lack of company he had in his dormitory.

"When I went through your place while trying to find a key to reach you, I noticed that you lived by yourself," Kota recalled his visit to his grandmother's home with some uncertainty, unsure of how Zaki would enjoy being told that a stranger went through his belongings. "Does that bother you?" The messy-haired boy was understandably confused by the question but looked to put some serious thought into his response.

"I don't mind the quiet. I prefer it to having to stay in a noisy household. But… It does get to me from time to time. Why do you want to know?" Kota could feel the boy's gaze fixate on him, causing a feeling of nervousness in build inside him. It was like he was trying to read his facial expression in order to find the answer himself.

"While I'm attending Gekkoukan, I'm staying in a dormitory in Iwatodai, only I'm the only one there." Kota frowned as he continued to explain. "It's a big place too, so having it all to myself feels pretty lonely."

"You're the only student in a dormitory building? How did that happen?"

"I was told that it was because I enrolled at the last minute. The other dorms were already at capacity so they had to open the one I'm in right now."

"So… you're thinking that I could move into the dorm as well?" Kota was surprised that Zaki beat him to it. He'd already forgotten how sharp-minded he was after stumbling into the Velvet Room.

"O-Only if you're fine with it. I wouldn't want to have you move if you don't want that."

"I'm indebted to you for your help in bringing me back from that coma, so I'll at least consider it." Zaki stern expression on his face showed the seriousness he took Kota's proposal with. "How about this. I'll look at the place and give you an answer once I'm done."

"That's fine by me." There was no promise made outside of the inspection, but Kota was happy to see that that glove-wearing boy was more understanding than his appearance suggested. Zaki nodded his head, acknowledging the agreement.

"Show me the way."

* * *

The sun was moments away from retreating beneath the horizon, leaving behind a warm orange glow in the sky as Kota led Zaki to the dormitory in Iwatodai. It was only a few streets away from Zaki's home, so it was convenient for him to look at the place before he returned to his grandmother's. Stepping into the lobby, Zaki looked at his immediate surroundings.

"I can see how staying here by yourself would be unnerving for you." Kota was actually a little glad that he could sense the same sensation he did when he first saw the open lounge area. Even to that day, he felt that the dormitory was cold and empty like something was missing from the scene whenever he'd returned for the day. "Care to show me around?"

"Of course."

Kota got to work, guiding Zaki through the various rooms on the ground floor. While many of the rooms that Kota didn't frequently use were still dusty from when he moved in, they were all in an otherwise tidy state. The transfer student got into a habit of cleaning to pass the time in the dorm and it looked to have paid off as the inspection continued.

"About what happened back at school… I'm sorry for grabbing you like I did." Zaki sounded genuinely disappointed with himself as the pair made their way up the stairs to the second floor. "I was a little panicked from what happened in the Subex, but it doesn't excuse how I lashed out at you."

"Apology accepted." Kota was fine "I know how hard it must have been for to endure that."

"Yeah, it wasn't easy. But, looking back at it, all that happened was that my darkest thoughts were forced to the surface. So, really, that hardship was entirely self-inflicted." Having reached the landing on the second floor, Zaki stopped walking to finish his thought. "In the end, that experience gave me the chance to accept my predicament and gather the will to try and overcome it, so it wasn't terrible when I think of it like that."

"By predicament, you mean the Shodaru Curse, right?" Zaki gave the Wild Card user a firm nod.

"I won't take it personally if it sounds too fantastical for you to believe, but after hearing the stories that were passed down from my ancestors, I can't ignore it." A look of sorrow dawned on the boy as he lowered his eyes. "For a long time, I tried to deny that I would suffer the same fate, but that just allowed my fear to eat away at me." Letting out a sigh, Zaki looked back to Kota. "I suppose I should apologise to you three for putting you in harm's way as a result of my weakness." This time, the cyan-haired teen shook his head.

"Don't apologise. We can't say for sure that your feelings alone were able to drag you into the Subex. There's a chance that something unrelated to that brought you there. It's exactly what happened to Akina before Jaden and I rescued her."

"If that's the case, I hope you're all able to get to the bottom of it." Zaki looked down the hall to his right, bringing his attention back to the dormitory. "Do all of these doors lead to rooms for the residents?"

"Yeah. My room's at the very end of the hall so the rest are vacant."

The tour continued up the very top of the building, including the large and completely empty room on the fourth floor that had always weirded Kota out. Zaki inspected the room with some suspicion but quickly moved on when it was clear that there was nothing of interest there. After checking all the rooms, the two students returned to the lobby.

"Theoretically," Zaki began," if I were to move in, would it then bother you if I then decided to not help your group in the Subex?"

"Asking you to stay here has nothing to do with that. I figured that you might like the idea of having some company outside of school." Even after Kota's reassurance, Zaki raised his gloved hand to his chin in thought.

"I'd be paying the school to stay here. I can't even be sure if it would be worth it."

"That would be fair enough, though your place isn't far from here. You could always drop by whenever you feel like it... if that's what you would prefer."

"You really hate being here by yourself, don't you?" Kota was left momentarily speechless as Zaki's words rung true.

"Yeah… Sorry. Maybe I'm being selfish asking this of you." The teen rubbed the back of his neck, a little embarrassed that Zaki had worked that out himself. "Jaden and Akina have their own families, so I can't just ask them to part with them. It would also be nice to have someone here that I won't have to hide the Subex's existence from."

"I see." The fellow second-year looked to be in thought again, only he seemed to take more time than usual as though he was struggling with his thoughts. Eventually, he reverted back to his collected self and looked back to Kota. "If it's that important to you, then I'll move in." The cyan-haired boy blinked, letting the words sink in to make sure that he didn't mishear them.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm on a trip from tomorrow until Showa Day, so I can make the arrangements once I'm back."

"Thank you. This means a lot to me." Zaki shrugged as though it wasn't big deal.

"Staying at my Grandmother's house without her there doesn't sit right with me anyway, so I'll be doing it for myself as well." The infamous student looked over to the lounge area with his blue eyes. "I normally wouldn't agree to share living quarters with anyone, but you seem considerate enough. So long as this place doesn't get too hectic, I can see myself staying here."

As though it was intentionally timed, the front door opened without warning as another two Gekkoukan students invited themselves into the dorm.

"Yo! Kota! We're home!" Jaden rushed into the building first with Akina in tow.

"We're coming in!" The pair seemed to be in high spirits as they arrived. Along with a shopping bag that Akina had in one hand, both of them were carrying large, tightly packed bags.

"Oh, Shodaru's here too." Jaden spotted Zaki as he dropped his bag by the front counter. "You planning on staying for dinner? We brought hamburgers!"

"They're from the supermarket." Akina lifted her shopping bag higher momentarily to bring it to his attention. "Jaden insisted that it was his turn to pick the meal. Though, I did make him compromise by getting these over the burgers at Wild Duck."

"Hey, hold up a sec!" Kota tried to get his friends to slow down as he felt as though he was missing an explanation. "What do you mean by 'we're home'? And why do you two have so much stuff with you?"

"What do you think it means?" Jaden asked, cheerful as ever. "We're staying here now!"

"We spoke to Mr Kobayashi and he helped make the arrangements for us to stay in the dorm for the year." Akina smiled warmly as she explained.

"You did?" Kota was slow to accept what he'd just heard out of fear that it was some sort of cruel joke. Jaden nodded firmly without hesitation.

"Yeah. I mean, it was obvious that you aren't too fond of staying here, so we figured that we'd crash here to help liven up the place."

"We tried keeping the whole thing a secret, though I'm sure that you noticed that we were up to something." Akina giggled as she thought back to a few of their blunders earlier in the week. "Anyway, we hope that you don't mind."

"You guys…" Kota was getting choked up from the emotion as the realisation finally hit. He knew that he probably looked silly, getting worked up over something like this but he couldn't help it. "This is unreal. Thank you both, so much."

"Aw, now I wish we had tried to move in sooner." Akina's eyes reflected her own feelings as she was touched by the joy that the transfer student showed over the news. "You're welcome, Kota."

"I can't count how many times my parents would pull all-nighters at work, so it was a no-brainer." Similarly to the teenaged albino, Jaden was extremely pleased with how Kota reacted. "I figured that Akina wouldn't want to feel left out, so I asked her to come along. You know what they say, the more, the merrier!"

"Well then..." While Kota had a grand smile on his face, his earlier guest muttered to himself in discomfort. Kota had momentarily forgotten that Zaki was right next to him, awkwardly watching the scene unfold.

"Uh... I'm sorry if this changes things, Shodaru."

"No… It's fine…" Despite what he had said, Zaki's expression darkened. "I already agreed to stay here, so I may as well go through with it."

"Wait, seriously?! Shodaru's staying here too?" Jaden's excitement peaked again after learning of the other inclusion to the dormitory's ranks. "Does this mean that he'll be fighting beside us in the Subex as well? That would be awesome!" The dark-haired boy let out a groan, irritated by the blonde's high energy levels.

"What did I just get myself into…"

"I was thinking the same thing after I made friends with Jaden last year, but you start to build a tolerance of his foolishness after a few weeks," Akina smirked as she gave glanced at Jaden.

"That's an awfully harsh thing to say," the half-brit exclaimed. "Also, you just make that up! I'm not THAT unbearable."

"Now that she mentions it…" Kota's eyes lit up as though he'd just discovered something. "I think that I've been getting a lot more patient with him just recently. I suppose that really is the case."

"And you're just as bad!" Jaden blurted out, the feeling of betrayal made painfully obvious on his face. "Seriously, you both suck!" Akina laughed at his expense while Kota chuckled along with her. Zaki shook his head, unsure of what to make of the exchange, though the smallest of smiles had formed on his face.

"This is definitely not what I signed up for but whatever, I'm starving. You guys don't think you could get started on those burgers, do you?"

After waiting for the burgers to finish cooking, the group had prepared each of their meals and seated themselves around the dining table. For the first time since Kota moved to Iwatodai, the dorm was lively as the four of them ate their dinner. Even Zaki, who initially seemed standoffish when Jaden and Akina arrived, seemed more relaxed as he chimed into the conversation from time to time.

From the moment Kota got off the train with his memory as blank as a clean sheet of paper, he somehow knew that he wasn't walking into a "normal" life. As he looked around the table, he took solace in knowing that he didn't have to tackle the Subex alone. With the support of the friends he made over the last few weeks, Kota figured that the strange life he found himself living wasn't so bad.

* * *

 **A/N: Attention Readers. With the posting of this chapter, I would have passed 100,000 words written for Persona: A Matter of Time. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who's been keeping up with the story, even if you haven't clicked the favourite/follow buttons. This version is less than a year old but the story has been something that I have been working on for a lot longer than that. Seeing people tune in for the latest chapters have done a lot for me in terms of keeping me motivated to push on, even if it's not the most popular Persona fanfic.**

 **Secondly, I want to have a bit of fun to finish the chapter off as a celebration of reaching this milestone so I decided to throw in a non-canon scene (for the super non-canon story) with an added trivia quiz that you can all take part in. I'll post the answers at the start of the next chapter but until then, feel free to throw your answers in the reviews for this story. Let's see how much you can remember from the previous chapters!**

* * *

 **Later that night…**

After spending the night with his friends, Kota saw Zaki off and retreated to his room. He felt positively warm as he crawled into bed and drifted off to pleasant sleep a short time later. Sometime during his slumber, a light suddenly entered Kota's vision as a steady drumroll pierced the silence.

He was no longer in his room, but the place he found himself in wasn't the Velvet Room either. A pair of spotlights danced around him at a pace just fast enough for the boy to not be able to see his surroundings. He thought that he could make out a few objects in the darkness that reminded him of the cameras and microphones that were present in the Velvet Room. A deep, energetic voice then boomed over the drumming.

"Ladies and Gentleman! Grab your TV dinners and strap yourselves in for another blood pumping, heart pounding edition of the nation's favourite quiz show! Our contestants are prepared for the ultimate battle on the show in the know, the one and only… **SUPER SUBEX TRIVIA TIME!** "

A sequence of horns started playing as the set that Kota was standing on was illuminated from stage lights set up on the ceiling. Cheers and applause sounded out from the darkness as the startled teen frantically looked around.

He looked to be in the large empty room that resided on the upper floor of the dormitory, though there were a lot of foreign objects that Kota didn't remember seeing before. Aside from the lights and cameras, there was a podium in front of him with a screen displaying "00". Its edges were lined with blue LED lights and a bright red buzzer sat on top, within Kota's reach. Behind him was a grand sign of blue and silver with flashing lights. It read the name of the so-called program in front of a pair of gears in the background. The same image was present on the stage floor in the centre of the stage.

There was no actual crowd present but, looking to his right, Kota noticed that he wasn't alone.

"What the hell kind of fever dream is this? Huh?" Jaden, in his Gekkoukan uniform, looked back at Kota in utter confusion from behind his own podium with yellow lighting. "This… is just a fever dream I'm having, right?"

"How would I know?!" Standing by a red podium in between the boys, Akina spoke up in panic. "Wait, are we in the Subex?!" Now that she mentioned it, Kota did find the atmosphere to be equally as unsettling as it was in the other dimension, though he wondered why they were in their school uniforms as opposed to their usual Subex attire.

"Now, now, contestants. You're not supposed to be the ones asking the questions around here. That honour goes to the one, the only, the host with the most, Glitchings QuizMaster!" The sound of more cheering erupted as a stone-faced Glitch made a grand entrance from the darkness and onto the scene using a flying fox, dropping onto the stage with the high school students.

She also had different attire on from the usual. Her trench coat was white with blue lining that showed on the edges of the cuffs and her collar. A blue rose was nested over the left breast of the coat to help give a more formal appearance. Her wide-brimmed hat was also replaced with a white top hat that had a blue checker design on the brim.

"Wait! So you're the one behind all this?" Jaden exclaimed, having difficulty processing what he was witnessing. "How did even bring us here from our beds?"

"You're still asking questions. Do you not understand how a quiz show operates?" While her appearance had changed, Glitch retained her almost-tone-deaf manner of speaking.

"Of course I know how it works!" Jaden shot back, getting more freaked out by the second. "What I don't understand why you brought you brought us all here while we were sleeping!"

"Yeah! What gives?" Beside him, Akina rubbed her eyes. Neither of them seemed particularly pleased with the situation they found themselves in.

"As the host of this program, I'm first required to introduce the contestant to the viewers."

"You're not required to do anything! And, also, what viewers?" The questions from Jaden continued to mount, though Glitch didn't pay them any mind.

"I'm sorry, Jaden Gatogi from Iwatodai, do you have a problem with the way I'm running my show?"

"I have a problem, alright!" Jaden slammed his hand onto the panel in front of him, likely cranky that his sleep was being interrupted. "You can start by explaining why you're acting as though we're on a dumb quiz show!"

"Insulting the show, are we?" Suddenly, a chorus of boos sounded out from the darkness off the stage as Jaden jumped in surprise. "I'm sorry but I'm forced to take a point away from you for that." Just like that, the counter on the front of Jaden's podium dropped to show "-1".

"Wait! I'm getting docked a point for that! Do YOU even understand how a quiz show works?!"

"You've already been introduced so I have no need to talk to you further."

"Why you…" The blonde was overcome with so much anger that his teeth were tightly clenched together.

"Next up, we have our healer and long-range magic blaster, Akina Yonashi from Iwatodai." A welcoming cheer rung out from the darkness as the short girl self-consciously averted her eyes from the noises.

"Why are you introducing based off my combative role?" The albino nervously looked up at Glitch. "N-No-one's actually watching us, right? I would have made myself look more presentable had I have known about this in advance!"

"Unfortunately, I was unable to broadcast this to televisions outside of the Subex, so our TV audience is currently at zero."

"W-What do you mean 'unfortunately'?" Akina blurted out with wide eyes as Glitch continued her hosting duties in a deadpan manner.

"Moving on to our newest addition to the cast, Zaki Shodaru from Iwatodai." Kota didn't even realise Zaki was with them until he saw him behind the orange-lit podium to his left. He'd received the same warm cheers as Akina, though he remained unmoving with his eyes shut.

"… Maybe if I close my eyes real hard, I'll wake up back in my bed again." The three students stared awkwardly at his attempts to ignore everything until Jaden spoke up in a regretful tone.

"Give it up, man. We're stuck here."

"Do you have anything to say to our audience before we get started?" With the prompt from Glitch, Zaki sighed before staring firmly into the dark section of the room where the crowd supposedly sat.

"You don't exist." Glitch looked at him, unimpressed.

"That was awfully crass of you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt their imaginary feelings?" Zaki rolled his eyes, not having any of it. "Seriously, I agree to move in with these guys and they're dragging me along to fake quiz shows in the dead of night…"

"Well, it could be worse." Kota tried to sound optimistic, hopeful that he wouldn't regret the decision he made earlier that night.

"And now, to our final contestant. The fearless and talented leader of the group. Our very special guess from Iwatodai, Kota Isarota." The cheers this time was noticeably louder, making Kota earn glares from Jaden and Akina.

"Um… hi." Kota rubbed the back of his neck nervously before holding his fist out in determination. "I'll be sure to give it my all!" He could literally hear the sweat drops roll down each of his companions' foreheads.

"You do realise that we're the only ones here, right?" Akina asked, seemingly worried.

"You really do go along with just about anything…" Jaden would have found it humorous if it wasn't for the amount of sleep he was continuing to miss out on. With the introductions completed, Kota took the time to get a straight answer out of the show's host.

"So, Glitch, what's the meaning of all this? Why a quiz show?"

"A fair question. Allow me to explain."

"So NOW it's okay to ask for an explanation..." Jaden grumbled, bitter about the point that he lost earlier.

"While I was working on that communicator that you requested, I ended up creating many of these set pieces by mistake." Glitch motioned towards the cameras and lights that were focused on the stage.

"The communicator is a tiny earpiece, right?" Zaki spoke. "How could you have possible objects that are this big by mistake?"

"Forging with Subex scrap is a difficult process. Without proper concentration, you could end up with drastically different products from what you'd have first intended."

"Right…" It still didn't explain why the "mistakes" happened to be set pieces commonly seen in a quiz show, but no-one seemed that intent on getting an answer.

"I brought you all here because I hate to waste the effort and resources that went into the set. Perhaps it could help you all in your battles against Shadows."

"You… don't seriously think that, do you?" Akina asked in disbelief. "What Shadow would try attacking us with trivia questions?"

"I haven't even agreed to any fighting. Why did I have to get strung along?" Zaki pinched his tear ducts with his non-gloved hand as Kota pondered the host's explanation briefly before coming up with his own reason for the strange request.

"You're probably feeling lonely without us visiting outside of our rescue missions. That's why you organised this show for us, right?"

"Really? Why didn't you say so, Glitch?" Akina's expression softened as she considered the possibility. "I can spare a few minutes to play along."

"I suppose that my debt does extend to you as well, so I'll tolerate it. But just this once, you hear?" Despite attempting to sound reluctant, Zaki spoke strongly, eager to show his thanks. Seeing that the others were game, Jaden felt like he didn't have any other choice.

"If we're going to do this, then I want my point back!" Glitch shook her head.

"Sorry. Rules are rules."

"How could I have known that I would lose a point for that?!" Jaden moped briefly before sighing. "Fine. Guess I'm going to have to go in with a handicap. Not that it will matter since I'll be winning the whole thing."

"Why are you so cocky? You're not exactly renown for your smarts," Akina said without restraint.

"Like you're any different," Jaden shot back, defensively.

"Hey! My score's going to be higher than yours by the end. Just you wait." The two exchanged heated glares, as they were known to do from time to time.

"So, are these questions going to be general knowledge or be part of a theme? If I'm doing this, I'll be in it to win." Zaki crossed his arms, his blue eyes now shining with an intensity that Kota's never seen from the dark-haired boy before.

"You'll just have to find out." Glitch then turned to face the inactive cameras. "Now, dear viewers, is the moment you've all been waiting for. Let's dive into it." Her tone remained stagnant, though a roar from the non-existent crowd quickly followed.

"At least try to sound more enthusiastic." Zaki frowned, let down from lack of excitement in her voice.

"Heh, that's Glitch for you," Kota chuckled before turning his attention back to the task at hand. There wasn't anything to play for but he was prepared to do everything in his power to win, just as his competitors were.

"Contestants, hands on buzzers for the first question..."

* * *

 **Super Subex Trivia Time – Round One, Start!**

 **Q1: What school club is Akina a member of?**

a) Tea Drinking Club

b) Cross-country Club

c) Archery Club

d) Environmental Club

 **Q2: The first Shadows that Kota and Jaden encountered in Hall of Mirrors had a similar appearance to which children's toy?**

a) A yo-yo

b) A jack-in-a-box

c) A spinning top

d) A doll

 **Q3: The weapon that Glitch wields when venturing into the lower-levels of the Subex is a variant of which weapon type?**

a) Naginata

b) Tonfas

c) Katana

d) Fists

 **Q4: What is Jaden's natural hair colour?**

a) Brown

b) Black

c) Auburn

d) Blonde

 **Q5: What's the full name of the motor vehicle that Kota rides in the Subex?**

a) Cross-bike

b) Subex-bike

c) eX-bike

d) Xspeed-bike

 **Q6: What animal is Akina's most treasured plush toy?**

a) Bear

b) Rabbit

c) Cat

d) Dog

 **Q7: Which position does Zaki play on the school soccer team?**

a) Striker

b) Centre back

c) Centre attacking midfield

d) Goalkeeper

 **Q8: When picking his weapon, what other type of weapon did Jaden compare his selection to?**

a) Daggers

b) Maces

c) Nunchakus

d) Short swords

 **Q9: During his fight with the captain of the soccer team, what two objects did Zaki use to defeat him?**

a) His water bottle and a locker door

b) A sports bag and a boot

c) A soccer ball and his water bottle

d) The captain's water bottle and a sports bag

 **Q10: When addressing Kota, what title does Igor use?**

a) Pathfinder

b) Wild Card Bearer

c) Sheppard

d) Chosen One

 **Q11: According to Kota's school record, which food item is he allergic to?**

a) Fish

b) Peanuts

c) Shellfish

d) Eggs

 **Q12: Which of these symbols were present on the mecha that embodied Jaden's Despair?**

a) A guitar

b) A flame

c) A bag of money

d) The head of the mecha

 **Q13: Which of these girls knew Jaden since before he moved to Iwatodai?**

a) Minori Kamaya

b) Sayuri Hidoma

c) Michiko Masaki

d) Rei Nishina

 **Q14: Which of these students is a talented baseball player in Kota's class?**

a) Ryuta Yanasai

b) Hidehiko Kushiro

c) Daichi Kouratsu

d) Takeo Suzuki

 **Q15: What type of cake did Akina make for Kota after she was saved from the Subex?**

a) Red Velvet

b) Cheesecake

c) Mont Blanc

d) Chocolate Mud Cake

* * *

 **Stay tuned for the answers!**


	16. The Runt of the Litter

**Chapter 16**

 **15 Questions later…**

"And with that, the quiz draws to a close," Glitch announce to the cameras, remaining as monotone as she has been for the entire show. "After an enthralling and brutal battle of wits, tonight's winner with the highest score is…"

The stage lights shut off as the sound of a drumroll filled the room. Spotlights rapidly flickered on and off over each of the four contestants as the show built suspense before the unveiling of the winner. However, the drums suddenly stopped and the stage lights had turned themselves back on. As the silence stretched on, each of the students looked at Glitch with puzzled expressions.

"Oh dear. I should have prepared extra questions in the event that this was to happen."

"So that's it! No tiebreaker? Extra-time?" After accumulating three points, Akina started to sulk with the conclusion of the quiz. "I was doing really well too…"

"A tie, huh?" To Kota's left, Zaki frowned as he also found himself on three points. "Way to end it on an anti-climax."

"I'll admit, it's a bit disappointing," Between them, Kota rubbed the back of his neck after finishing with three points. "But at least we all had fun."

"Speak for your damn selves…" Looking rather glumly at his buzzer, Jaden ended up being left behind, earning himself a pitiful score of negative two. Beside him, Akina couldn't help but snicker at the blonde's misfortune.

"Even if you started on zero like the rest of us you still would have ended up in the negatives."

"Quit rubbing in!"

"Instead of crowning a winner, it appears that we've ended up with a lone loser." Carrying on with her hosting duties, Glitch spoke to the inexistent audience. "Mr Gatogi, what do you have to say about your performance tonight."

"First, I'd like to apologise to my parents for being such a disappointment…" With a slight pause, Jaden blinked as he momentarily caught up with the show's atmosphere. "Wait! Who cares about this stupid quiz? It doesn't even have an audience!"

"Ahem…" Glitch simply cleared her throat before Jaden's score lowered by another point, bring him to negative three. The luckless student looked down at his podium in alarm as the "crowd" jeered.

"Are you for real?!" Defeated, the boy slumped over his buzzer, hiding behind his arms. "Talk about kicking a man while he's down…"

"But now what?" After witnessing his friend succumbing to despair, Kota spoke to the show's host. "You can't end the show without deciding a winner."

"I suppose I can't," Glitch pondered, appearing troubled. "The fact that no-one from the audience participated already means that the show was a total flop."

"What did you expect? You said that no-one was watching this… Right?" Akina looked at the camera with unease as she thought that she could sense someone watching her.

"So, what? We're just stuck here in our own little purgatory?" Zaki crossed his arms, once again irritated after the competition ended without a satisfying conclusion.

"Well, there is one way out of this…" To everyone's amazement, Glitch looked squarely at Jaden. "Congratulations, Jaden Gatogi from Iwatodai. You are tonight's anti-champion." Cheers erupted from the empty side of the room, though it didn't improve Jaden's mood at the slightest.

"Wow. Congrats, Jaden." Kota smiled, seemingly happy for his teammate.

"I can't tell if you're serious or you're just mocking me at this point…"

"I suppose that's what happens when the host is someone who's never seen a quiz show before," Akina said under her breath as she pulled her beanie over her forehead. Failing to hear her, Glitch continued.

"As the anti-champion, you get the distinct pleasure of doing the show's outro."

"… Do I have to?"

"Look at it this way," said Zaki from the other side of the stage. "Once this is out of the way, we can all go back to bed."

"I guess that's how outros work…" Jaden sighed before facing the nearest camera. "I hope you all had as miserable of a time as I have. There probably won't be another instalment of Super Whatever Time, so goodbye... forever!" Despite the outro, the show came to a close with more cheer sound effects over the show's theme song.

* * *

 **Quiz Results:**

 **Q1: d) Environmental Club**

 **Q2: b) A jack-in-a-box**

 **Q3: a) Naginata**

 **Q4: d) Blonde**

 **Q5: b) Subex-bike**

 **Q6: b) Rabbit**

 **Q7: d) Goalkeeper**

 **Q8: c) Nunchakus**

 **Q9: d) The captain's water bottle and a sports bag**

 **Q10: d) Pathfinder**

 **Q11: c) Shellfish**

 **Q12: b) A flame**

 **Q13: a) Minori Kamaya**

 **Q14: b) Hidehiko Kushiro**

 **Q15: d) Chocolate Mud Cake**

* * *

 **Saturday 27th of April**

Kota awoke from his bed with his heart going a million miles an hour. He felt cold as he weakly propped himself in a sitting position. Collecting his thoughts, Kota realised that he had just awoken from a nightmare. As he wiped the icy sweat from his face with his shirt, the teenaged boy was unable to regather the images he was exposed to in his sleep.

"Kota! Time to get up!" The cyan-haired boy didn't notice Akina outside of his door until he heard knocking coming from the hallway. "I'm about to make some breakfast for myself but I'll prepare an extra portion for you if you're quick."

"Um… sure." Shaken from the unpleasant dream, Kota gave a half-hearted response from his bed. When Akina left to start banging on the door to Jaden's room, the Persona-user swallowed before taking a few calming breaths. Despite the impact the nightmare had on him, Kota couldn't remember a single thing about it. Figuring that it was for the best, the student stood up from his bed and prepared to get himself ready for the school day ahead of him.

* * *

Once Kota met Akina in the kitchen, he found that the white-haired girl was irritated by the fact that their breakfast option was limited to jam on toast. Having been living on the stuff since he first arrived at the dorm, the amnesiac was unfazed by the outcome while his friend ate with him out of necessity. Akina was unnervingly quiet as she nibbled at her toast, though she couldn't complain. Along with Jaden, she was a surprise inclusion to the Iwatodai dorms for Kota, who still felt bad for not having a greater variety of food for her.

After their meal and finalising their preparations for school, the pair noticed that Jaden still hadn't left his room. Already short on time, Akina insisted on heading for the train station ahead of him. Having had more than his fair share of races against the train schedule, Kota promptly left with Akina after yelling out to Jaden, informing him that they were leaving.

The two students had to move at a relatively brisk pace to reach the station in time as they briefly engaged in small talk about school work and the upcoming break. Kota hoped that Jaden would catch up with them before they made it to Iwatodai station, though there was no sign of the blonde until he boarded the train.

"Suse me! Coming through!" Turning back to the crowd, Kota spotted a travel bag being held above the sea of people as the owner of the bag raced towards him. With the crowd numbers thinning as the person got closer to the train, he could see Jaden's panicked face as he dove face-first into the carriage moments before the door shut behind him. As numerous quizzical looks were directed at him, a puffing Jaden pushed himself onto his feet after confirming that his bag wasn't damaged.

"Way to make a scene, sleepyhead," Akina mocked. Jaden to respond with a sigh, trying not to let the comment or any of the looks get on his nerves.

"I'm starting to have some second thoughts about the relocation. I never had to wake up this early to get to school from my apartment."

"It's too late to back out now. Besides, you should get into the habit of waking up earlier." Akina looked down at his suitcase as it only just struck her as unusual. "Hold on. What with the bag?"

"It's for the club trip we have to take during the two-day break," Jaden said with a sour look on his face.

"Shodaru mentioned that he was going to be away until Tuesday. I didn't realise that it was from his club activities," Kota recalled from his discussions with Zaki last night.

"The fight he got caught up was actually the damn reason that we're missing out on our holiday. The coach said we were in need of some 'team building exercises' before we caused any more injuries to each other." The member of the Soccer Club couldn't sound any less enthusiastic, though his face suddenly brightened as let a smirk stretch across his face. "But don't worry about me. You two just be sure to play nice while I'm gone, okay?"

Akina looked confused for the briefest of moments before she gasped. It only just occurred to her that she would be in the dormitory alone with Kota.

"So THAT was why you were so pushy to transfer to the dorms so suddenly?! I should have known that you up to something!" The girl was furious as her yells captured the attention of the other passengers.

"My intentions were genuine, honest! It was just a happy coincidence that I would leave you guys with some alone time." Jaden gave a nervous chuckle in the hopes that it would ease the rising tension, though Akina's piercing glare didn't waver.

"I can't believe you! I swear… If you go back to your apartment when you get back…"

"You guys. People are staring," Kota intervened in a hushed voice. Aware of the looks they were getting from the surrounding passengers, some of whom were Gekkoukan students. Embarrassed by her outburst, Akina pulled the front of her beanie down her forehead as though she was trying to hide from the stares directed her way. While she remained silent, the albino trained her fiery glare on Jaden, causing him to sweat.

When the train finally pulled into Port Island Station, Jaden made a dash for the school as soon as the doors slid open.

"Hey!" Akina took off after him as the two of them cut through the mass of people moving through the platform. With a sigh, Kota jogged after the hyperactive duo. The cyan-haired teen had to follow Jaden's bag that was held over his head so he wouldn't lose them in the crowd.

Having made his way to the streets, Kota could spot his friends a little further away.

"I haven't finished talking to you!" Akina gave up her chase once Jaden headed straight for the school rather than the tram stop that was in the opposite direction. No longer being pursued, Jaden turned back to face her.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I'm worried that you're going to break my foot if I keep opening my mouth! Good luck, you two!" Jaden gave a hurried wave and dashed off.

"Unbelievable…" Kota caught up to Akina as she sulked, her anger leaving her as Jaden ran out of sight.

"Do you have a problem with him leaving?" Startled, the short girl turned to Kota.

"You could say that… I mean, it would be just the two of us staying there, so..." Akina trailed off, not comfortable in continuing.

"You could go back to your family until Jaden returns." To the Wild Card user's surprise, his friend was quick to shake her head.

"I can't… not after seeing how happy you were when we moved in last night. Not only that, but your kitchen pantry is filled with nothing but instant noodles. Is that all you've been eating?"

"I sometimes alternate between that and microwavable ramen."

"Now I'm worried that you're going to get sick if I'm not around." Akina placed her hands on her hips with a frown. "We're going by the supermarkets once school is over, got it?" Kota rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly.

"Understood." By the time Kota agreed, Akina spotted the tram moving along the track over her classmate's shoulder.

"The tram's here. Come on, we've got to get moving!" Kota couldn't even react before Akina grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the tram stop. As he was being tugged along, the transfer student was relieved to find that their new living situation hadn't affected their friendship… for the time being.

* * *

As it was a Saturday, the students of Gekkoukan High, with the exception of those who had already left for the Soccer Club's training camp, were in high spirits. Not only was a two-day break just around the corner but today was a half-day. Kota had heard that the school reduced the number of classes they held on Saturdays due to concerns about the amount of stress that a full 6-day week caused for its students. Supposedly, there were several strange occurrences a few years back that forced this change though Kota never heard what they actually were.

Returning his attention to the helmet-wearing teacher at the front of the classroom, the teenager knew that he wasn't in the clear yet. Mr Oda, the school's History teacher, was expected to give a lecture on the Black Plague. However, as expected of the samurai fanatic, he swiftly transitioned into sharing his knowledge of the Sengoku period after barely passing the ten-minute mark. While the class would likely suffer in the upcoming midterms as a result, Kota was far from the only one who was glad that he didn't have to hear about the mass deaths at the hands of a horrifying illness.

"As you would all know, the nation witnessed three different leaders that helped bring about the final unification of Japan: Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu." The middle-aged man sounded revitalised as he had finally broken free from the shackle that was Medieval European history. "Interestingly, each leader had contracting personalities that helped shape the values of a true samurai. Mr Isarota," Mr Oda called the boy at the centre of the classroom.

"Yes, sir…" Worried about his lack of knowledge of the subject, Kota apprehensively stood up from his seat. The eyes of the rest of the class fell on him as Mr Ono prepared his question.

"The personalities of three leaders are encapsulated in three senryū, each one showing a leader's response to a cuckoo failing to sing. 'If the cuckoo does not sing, kill it, if the cuckoo does not sing, coax it and if the cuckoo does not sing, wait for it.' Nobunaga's ruthlessness is the subject of the first and Toyotomi's resourcefulness, the second. What quality of Tokugawa's is expressed in the third senryū?"

Kota was left speechless as he absorbed the question. He had a basic understanding of Tokugawa's accomplishments, but nothing of his personality. The poem was unhelpful as it was somewhat vague, meaning that it could stand for just about anything. Patience, mercifulness and lenience came to mind but any of those answers would be total guesses on his part.

"Perseverance." A word reached his right ear through a voice that arose so suddenly that Kota jumped. It didn't sound like Akina's voice through it did seem familiar, going by the single word he heard. The boy looked to his right to find its source but every one of his classmates were silently watching, waiting for an answer along with the teacher.

"Are you doing alright, Isarota?" Mr Ono noticed his student was spooked was something though he didn't notice the mysterious voice. The voice was more audible than a whisper but he, and everyone else in the class for that matter, didn't react to it at all. The teenager was convinced that it had to have come from inside his head.

"I-I'm fine, sir." With no better ideas and against his better judgement, Kota decided to trust the voice. "Was it… perseverance?"

"Excellent, Isarota. I knew I sensed a warrior's spirit within you. After Toyotomi's death, Tokugawa was met with hostile opposition as he attempted to claim the title of Shogun. It wasn't until 15 years after he seized power when he crushed the last of the Toyotomi-loyalist resistance in Osaka and gain influence over all of Japan… You may be seated, Isarota." Mr Ono halted his lecture when he noticed that Kota was still standing.

"S-Sorry, sir." Having been caught in a daze since hearing that voice, the transfer student returned to his seat as he caught wind of a few whispers as Mr Ono continued to discuss the Toyotomi-Tokugawa conflict unaware or unbothered by the chatter in among the class.

"Boy, I'm glad the teacher didn't ask me. That stuff isn't even in the textbook."

"That was more like a question we'd get in our composition classes. I'm surprised Isarota got it right."

"Isn't he smart though? I heard him give answers to Gatogi whenever the teacher puts him on the spot."

"Hey, do think he'd tutor me in my language subjects if I asked him?"

"When were you every interested in your grades? Wait… are you saying that he's your type?"

It sounded to Kota that the class thought more highly of him since he'd started doing well in class. He felt undeserving of the praise on this occasion, however, as he got the answer from some disembodied voice. Remaining on edge, the mystery plagued his thoughts as Mr Ono's lecture continued.

* * *

The class let out a collective sigh as they survived another week of school. As most of the students gathered their items, Akina stretched her arms over her head while she remained seated beside Kota.

"Ugh, it's so hot in here," She exclaimed before facing her neighbour. "I'm going to stop by the vending machine. Do you want something?"

"Yes please, but I'll pay for mine this time. I'm barely spending any of the allowance that school gives me anyway."

"Oh… I was going to shout for you, but if you insist…" Just then, a pink-haired girl raced through the door at front of the classroom and past the outgoing students.

"Yonashi-senpai!" Spotting the beanie-wearing girl after a brief survey of the room, the energetic girl bounded up to her desk. "We're heading to the Clubroom to prepare for next week's recruitment drive, right?"

"Huh?" Akina was initially confused before her face rapidly changed into a look of panic. "Oh shoot! I forgot all about that!" With that outburst, Kota's classmate apologetically turned to the observing boy. "I'm so sorry, Kota. I didn't realise that I already made plans with the club after school."

"That's okay. I can wait around until you're finished so it won't be a problem." Not wanting to see Akina look so glum, Kota shrugged it off. Meanwhile, the first-year eyed the pair with suspicion while maintaining her sweet smile.

"Well… If you'd rather spend time with your boyfriend, I could cover for you." The pink-haired girl gave Akina a reassuring wink that only served in flustering the white-haired girl further.

"W-Where did you get that from?! He's just a friend!"

"Really? That's disappointing…" The visiting girl thoughtfully brought her hand to her chin. "You seemed a lot happier since you came back from the hospital. And this guy seemed so worried when I told him you had passed out."

"O-Oh…" Akina snuck a glance at Kota before quickly retreating, staring firmly at her lap as her face gave off a red glow. Thankfully, she was spared from any further embarrassment as the cyan-haired boy remained focused on his kohai.

"That's where I remember you from." The boy had been silently racking his brain over where he'd seen her until then. "We never introduced ourselves. I'm Kota Isarota."

"Rei Nishima…" The small girl averted her eyes from Kota, pouting as though he did something that bothered her.

"Is something the matter?"

"I'm disappointed that you forgot about me so soon." Eventually, Rei sighed and faced Kota again. "You seem to make Yonashi-senpai happy so I'll forgive your rudeness this time."

"That's enough, Nishima!" Unable to contain herself, earning several curious looks from the student that remained in the room. "You ought to head to the clubroom. I'll be right there!"

"You got it, Senpai!" Rei seemed blissfully unaware of the distress that Akina was in as she headed to the hallway, but not before running into one of Kota's classmates and falling back onto the floor. "Ah!"

"Whoa there!" Having been interrupted from the chat with his friends by the collision, Hidehiko looked down at the culprit before offering her his hand. "You okay?" Having rubbed her sore nose, Rei grabbed the outstretched hand without a thought. It was only then when she realised that she was holding the hand of the star of the school's baseball team.

"K-K-Kushiro-senpai!" The freshman froze in place with wide-eyes before immediately releasing the sandy-haired teen and scrambling to her feet. "I'm fine! I-I mean… thank you for your concern…" All the energy that Rei had early had evaporated the moment she bumped into Hidehiko. She was acting more like the timid girl that he spoke to earlier that year. "Well, I… have somewhere to be so…" She slowly crept towards the doorway before bolting down the hallway, hiding her face in her hands. The athletic boy was left confused as his mates chuckled with the closest one giving him a congratulatory nudge on the arm.

"Geez, that girl…" Akina almost seemed relieved as the ordeal that Rei had created diverted much of the attention from her earlier outbursts. "Well, um… I should get going. I can handle the shopping myself so you can wait for me at the dorm." Much like the first-year before her, Akina was quick to leave for the hallway before Kota could get a word in.

At this point, most of class 2-C had left for the classroom. Kota had a two-and-a-half-day break ahead of him and he was already at a loss with what to do.

"Guess I'll hang around the school for a bit," Kota muttered to himself as he picked up his belongings and headed out of the room. He figured that he may as well wait for Akina to finish with her club.

* * *

After swinging by the vending machine and picking up a couple of drinks, the transfer student went wandering around the school while peeking into the populated rooms he passed them. He was in search of the Environmental Club though he quickly found that he passed by the same rooms without realising that he was going in circles. It seemed that his sense of direction was still as dysfunctional as ever.

Eventually, Kota had to momentarily give up his search and gulped down his lukewarm grape-flavoured soda. The cherry drink in his other hand that was intended for Akina was getting warmer by the minute as well. He wanted to get it to her before long but it was already past lunchtime but he hadn't had any luck finding her.

After finishing his drink and disposing of the aluminium can, Kota headed for the front entrance. He was about to send Akina a text when the Persona-user stumbled into a discussion between two students in an otherwise empty hallway.

"What's with the silent treatment? I have a right to know." A tall boy with dark, neatly-kept hair crossed his arms sternly as he looked down at the other student. Kota was quick to notice the red armband presented proudly on the older student's arm that was worn by members of the school's disciplinary committee. The other student had her back to Kota, though he could tell that it was Akina from her trademark black beanie. She was shying away from the male student's gaze, intimidated by his overpowering gaze.

"Why move to an old dormitory that's only one block closer to the station? It hasn't got anything to do with your studies like what you told mum and dad." The older student continued to interrogate Akina as his green eyes bore into her.

"I got nothing to say to you, Yoshiro…"

"Don't be like that! My sister's business is mine as well." Akina got increasingly uncomfortable as Yoshiro kept pressing her. "Are you just trying to escape your responsibilities to the group? Or maybe you're after some guy? You do realise that that would be pointless, right?" Kota knew how sensitive Akina was about her appearance, which was why he could imagine the pained look on her face. The moment he did, Kota started seeing red as his emotions overwhelmed him.

"Stop harassing her!" Before the transfer student knew it, he'd rounded the corner he had been peering behind and rushed to his friend's side. Akina was startled by the cyan-haired boy's sudden arrival while the other boy switched his hard gaze to him, annoyed by the interruption. "What do even want from her?"

"This doesn't concern you, kohai. As I'm head of the disciplinary committee, you won't be doing yourself any favours by getting involved," Yoshiro warned, refusing to back down.

"It's alright, Kota." Despite her being visibly upset, Akina tried to talk him down in a subdued tone. "Don't let him bother you."

"But…"

"Am I mistaken or are you calling the new kid by his first name?" Yoshiro gave his younger sibling a look of intrigue. "I didn't realise you were that desperate… or that easy."

"What did you just say!?" Enraged beyond what he thought that he was capable of, Kota began to approach the older student with a clenched fist. He would have thrown it the senior's condescending smirk had Akina not taken hold of Kota's wrist with both hands. Looking back to the smaller girl, he felt a reassuring squeeze as she sadly shook her head.

"So this is the reason behind you moving?" Yoshiro rolled his eyes and turned his back to the pair. "I have other things I ought to be doing." Kota sneered at the upperclassman took his leave. Once he was gone, the cyan-haired took a calming breath and looked over to Akina who was still shaken from her brother's scathing words.

"Let's step outside," Kota spoke gently to the classmate still grasping his arm. Akina gave a slight nod before she was led to school's front door. Having left the building, Kota sat under one of the sakura trees off the path with a silent Akina. The beanie-wearing girl was looking glum as the possessor of the Wild Card held out the drink he bought for her earlier.

"I got you your drink. Sorry that it's a little warm now." A small smile spread across the girl's face as she slowly grabbed the can from Kota's hand. Her own hands were trembling slightly as she clutched the drink. "Do you need to be alone for a bit?"

"No… I just need a moment." Akina let the time pass her by as she took her surroundings. Petals continued to fall from the cherry blossom branches above them, making for a calming sight on a warm sunny day. Eventually, she let out all of her negative feelings with a heavy sigh before turning to Kota. "I'm sorry that you had to see that."

"Don't worry about it. That was your brother, right?" Akina cast her eyes downwards and nodded.

"He's always been treating me like I'm beneath him because I couldn't get a scholarship to attend Gekkoukan like he could… and because of the way I look." Kota could see the small girl's shoulders tense up as past memories of the torment at the hands of her brother returned to her. "When Jaden offered for me to join him in moving to your dormitory, I was quick to jump at the chance to leave home. A big part of my decision was to help keep you company, but my relationship with my family isn't great."

"What about your parents? Surely you're on good terms with them." Kota was hoping for a positive response. However, Akina's expression darkened further.

"When I was little, I thought that they were cool for helping run an organisation that cared for the environment and disadvantaged people that needed all the help they can get. But at the time, I was blind to how they looked down on other people. When I grew older and it was clear that I wasn't as smart as Yoshiro, they started to distance themselves from me. I ended up having to prepare my own meals and laundry while my parents treated my brother like a prince, turning a blind eye to the harassment he would give me." She was starting to look tearful as Kota sensed the stress building within her. He just had to comfort her after seeing her in such a state.

"Even if your family may not think so, you matter." Akina looked up at the cyan-haired teen, who appeared almost sullen after hearing her story. "Even if you didn't have anyone that cared about you, you're doing so much for others. I can tell how much your club and your family's group means to you. Between that and the help you provided in rescuing Zaki, I never met a more selfless person than you." Without putting any real thought into it, Kota rested his hand on the girl's beanie-covered head with a gentle smile. Akina expressed mild surprise through the widening of her eyes but didn't resist his touch. "No matter what they might think, I'm glad to have you around, Akina."

A tender silence followed as a slight gust of wind swept through the school grounds, disturbing the student's hair and unleashing a wave of sakura blossoms from the surrounding trees. The pair was absorbed in the moment with neither teenager knowing how to progress. Kota felt his heart start to pound as he noticed Akina's cheeks take on a slight shade of red. Once the wind died down, Akina lowered her head, breaking off the gaze she had on her classmate.

"You're such a dork," she spoke endearingly as Kota moved his hand back to his side, somewhat embarrassed. They were both lost on how to keep the moment from turning awkward when they were given an out.

"Are you two done?"

"Ah!" Feeling a sense of déjà vu, Kota pivoted his head in the direction of the noise only to find that there wasn't a soul to the right of the Persona-user.

"Wha!? What's wrong?" Akina asked, startled from Kota sudden reaction.

"You didn't hear that?" The albino responded to Kota with a confused shake of her head. "I think it sounded like Glitch."

"That's because it is me." Kota didn't expect the voice to speak out again as his eyes darted to his right once more. He could only seem to hear her with his right ear.

"How am I hearing you?"

"The communicator is functioning just as I hoped it would, though there was some slight signal interference that I didn't originally account for. I sent you a trial message earlier but I only just finished making the final adjustments to it."

"So… During history."

"I happen to be familiar with the senryū that your teacher brought up in class."

"How could you have known possibly about that?!"

"…Are you losing it?" Not realising that Akina was listening to what sounded like a one-sided conversation, Kota turned back to her.

"No, I'm not! It's this communicator. Glitch is about to speak to me through it." Kota pointed to his ear as Akina gave it a quick examination.

"I don't see anything…"

"That's because…" Kota looked to explain himself but he could find the words to do so. Sheepishly, he turned back to his right. "Glitch, can you explain it for her?"

"I could, though she wouldn't be able to hear me."

"Oh, right…" Kota couldn't help but feel stupid as Akina aimed a suspicious look squarely at him. "Just trust that I'm not crazy, alright?"

"I don't know…" Akina said in mock concern.

"C'mon… Just because Jaden's not here, it doesn't mean that you have to treat me like the new idiot." Kota caught Akina by surprise with those words, sending her into a small giggling fit.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it!" The red-eyed girl had to calm herself with a few deep breaths. "I'm telling Jaden that you said that, by the way."

"Please don't! He'd just get mad at us again."

"I'm kidding," Akina beamed, the mental stress she endured from her brother now a distance memory to her. "You haven't had lunch yet, right? Let's find something to eat before we hit the shops." Picking herself off the ground with her belongings, Akina headed to the school gates only to stop part of the way. She placed the unopened drink in her schoolbag as Kota stood up by the tree he was sitting under. Akina then turned to him, her hands hiding behind her back with a bashful smile on her on her face.

"Kota… thanks. I'm glad to have you around too."

Before Kota could process the compliment, Akina turned back to the gate, heading down the path with a spring in her step.

"Is it just me, or have you too gotten more familiar with one another since the last mission?" Glitch muttered through the immaterial earpiece.

"Quiet, you." He was quick to shoot Glitch's observation down as it reminded him of Jaden's teasing, though he couldn't deny that he'd been seeing Akina in a new light since she fought alongside him in the Subex. The only think Kota knew for certain about his feelings for her was that the more he got to know her, the more he wanted to see her smile.

 _Social Link Up: Moon Arcana Rank 2_

 _The strength drawn from the Moon Arcana has increased!_

* * *

By the time Kota returned to his room, night had fallen over Iwatodai. He was quick to take a seat on the edge of the bed, worn out from what turned out to be a busy day. After eating out, he and Akina spent a few hours visiting many of the stores in Paulownia Mall before buying groceries for the week. The new resident of the Iwatodai dormitory remained in high-spirits since her talk with Kota as they enjoyed their outing, not returning to the dorms until it started to get dark out.

Akina was quick to prepare dinner for the both of them and was able to cook one of the most satisfying fed Kota had eaten in recent memory. Even if he'd taken care of most of the clean up afterwards, Kota felt a little bad for not being able to help his experienced roommate cook their meals.

With a full stomach, Kota lay on back on his bed to recover just for his phone to vibrate in his pocket. He sighed in mild annoyance as he took out the device, answering it as he brought it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Isarota! It's Daichi. Got any plans tomorrow?" The unsettling feeling that arose as Kota answered was quickly dashed when he heard the voice on the other end. He'd recalled the ominous call he received prior to Zaki's fall into the Subex and was pleased to find that this was no repeat of that.

"I'll be free. What's up, Imatsu?"

"A few other guys and I were going to meet up to go bowling and check out the arcades. You interested?"

"Sure. Where will we be meeting up?"

After gathering the necessary details, Kota bid Daichi farewell and hung up. Jaden wasn't around to drag him along for another dose of Pheromone Coffee, so it was nice to have something else to look forward to on the upcoming Sunday.

* * *

 **Sunday 28th of April**

Four rounds into his second game and already 23 points below the nearest competitor, Kota held the pink bowling ball in front of him as he lined up for the next bowl. Trying to the repeat the routine of some of his more successful attempts, he approached the start of the alley and tried to release the ball in a straight line towards the front-most pin. Unfortunately, the heavy ball clipped his leg, sending it spiralling into the gutter.

"Aagh! Gutterball…"

"Ouch! Right after a spare too." Daichi muttered from the seating area and Yuta and Hidehiko watched on with pained looks on their faces. Kota tried to improve his second bowl only to get the same result. It was no secret that he wasn't any good at bowling and the lack of practice he had compared to the other boys didn't help.

"Maybe we'll need turn on the bumpers for you, Isarota," Hidehiko joked as Kota returned to his seat. Even though the possessor of the Wild Card continued to get demolished by the students of his school friends as the game went on, he was able to find some fun in his heavy defeat.

After the second game, the group explored everything else Nodokana Central had to offer. The multi-storey building on the mainland housed the biggest arcade in the region as well as separate floors designated to bowling and laser tag, making it the go-to place for students during their days off.

Kota remained relatively quiet as the group jumped between the attractions on offer, dipping their toes into the varies game from fighters to zombie-shooters. It wasn't until the four students took drink break when Daichi roped him into the centre of their conversation.

"How have you been since coming to Gekkoukan, Isarota? You've been staying in one of the dorms, right?"

"That's right. I'm in the same dorm as Jaden and Shodaru, though they're both gone for the soccer trip so it's just me and Akina there at the moment."

"You mean Zaki Shodaru? I can't imagine you hanging out with someone like that." Realising that he sounded rude, Daichi spoke up again to clarify. "I don't mean to say that he's a bad person or anything! I'm just going by what I've heard about him."

"I'm more interested in learning that you're sharing the dormitory with Yonashi. The two of you sure seem awfully close…" Hidehiko smirked at Kota while passing him a look of intrigue.

"Wait! You're staying in a co-ed dorm?" Yuto asked, adding further to the discomfort Kota was feeling at that point in time. "Is the girl hot?"

"Don't mind Yuto," Daichi intervened to the cyan-haired boy's relief. "He's never had a girlfriend so he can't help his lack of tact when it comes to girls."

"Harsh," Yuto frowned, irritated, "especially considering that none of you guys ever had one either!"

"You haven't had one, Hide?" Kota questioned, surprised that someone as popular as him was never in a relationship.

"I know, right?" Daichi nudged the baseball star, who simply rolled his eyes in response. "When you consider the number of fangirls he has following him around he's been doing the rest of us a disservice."

"Getting a girlfriend isn't the be-all and end-all, you know?"

"And, what? Baseball is?" Yuto spoke.

"Hey! If you good at something, why not stick to it?" Hidehiko seemed eager to move on as he looked to the one guy who wasn't getting on his case. "Do you want to pick the next game, Isarota?" Looking back toward the middle of the gaming floor, he noticed a machine with a pair of dance pads connected to a large monitor.

"I wouldn't mind trying out the dancing game." The looks that Daichi and Yuto exchanged told him that neither of them was interested, but an energetic smile stretched across Hidehiko's face.

"That so? How about a 1v1? Let's hope that you dance better than you bowl!"

"You're on!" Kota smiled back, welcoming the challenge. He went on to enjoy the rest of the day as he learnt more about his classmate and his two Kendo comrades.

* * *

After spending most of her day helping in the soup kitchen that her family's group operate, Akina was hard at work preparing not only her own meal but one for Kota as well. By the time Kota returned to the dormitory, his roommate had just finished the seafood paella.

"I never had you pinned as a picky eater, Kota." Partway through the meal, Akina peered at the boy's plate to find he'd been eating around the prawns that were included in the rice dish.

"I'm usually not. It's just… There's something about prawns… I can't bring myself to eat them." The colour drained from Kota's face the more he thought about them. He'd been like that with shellfish ever since he saw his student record.

"You should have said something when we were at the shops yesterday!" Akina pouted, annoyed by the secrecy. "I wouldn't have brought them if I knew you didn't like prawns."

"But you love seafood. I didn't want you to skip buying them because of me," Kota responded nervously. Akina, having understood, appeared glum as she looked back to her plate. "Is something wrong?"

"I'm not a nuisance to you by staying here, right?"

"Of course not!" Kota's reply was almost instant, not having to think about it at all. "You know how much I hated staying here by myself."

"You're right. That's just my nerves talking…" Akina took a few more mouthfuls of rice, though Kota could tell she had something on her mind. True enough, the beanie-wearing girl broke the silence that had enveloped the dining table. "Say… What are you up to tomorrow? If you're free we could hang out for a bit."

"Sure," Kota said with a kind smile. "If it's something you want to do, then I'm up for anything."

"Of course you'd say that…" To the Persona-user's surprise, Akina seemed displeased with that last statement. "Enough is enough! You're always bending over backwards for my sake so it's your call this time." Kota frozen as he listened to Akina's outburst. He didn't realise that she was so bothered by his will to pander to her wants.

"I don't even know most of the area though… Maybe you could show me more of Iwatodai? The guys took me to an Arcade not far from here but I don't know of too many other places on the mainland." With that, Akina's expression brightened significantly.

"Good idea. There are a few spots I've been meaning to visit for a while now."

The two students went on to finalise the arrangements for tomorrow before sharing stories of their day. Even after the pair finished their meals, they went on to talk about a whole range of topics. By the time they finished, the night sky had well and truly blanketed the town.

"Thank you again for the food." Kota finally got up from his chair, stretching as he stood after remaining seated for so long. "Why don't leave the dishes for me. I'll even handle the laundry later so you can rest up."

"What?!" Akina exclaimed, suddenly looking panicked. "Y-You really don't have to!"

"But it's only fair that I clean up around here since you prepared the food."

"I'm not concerned about the dishes! I-It's…" The white-haired girl blushed meekly as her words trailed off.

"Huh?" Misreading her expression, Kota continued to insist. "It won't be a problem. I've used the washing machine plenty of-" In an instant, Akina lunged across the table and grabbed tightly to Kota's shirt collar, practically pulling him over the dirty dishes. "Ghak!"

"You are NOT going to be doing any laundry!" The sharp glare that she had softened as she had a close look at Kota's clueless gaze. "C-Come on. Do I really have to spell it out to you!" It was only when Kota caught Akina's scent from his close proximity to her that he was able to figure out what she was trying to say.

With the truth dawning on him, the teenaged boy grew flustered, a blush of his own arising on his cheeks.

"I'm sorry! I wasn't intending to look at your-"

"I know you didn't!" Akina interrupted Kota, pushing him away. "You're… not that sort of person." Despite her words, she self-consciously wrapped her arms around her chest in embarrassment. "I'll… just go to my room. I'll leave the laundry for tomorrow morning so don't you dare touch any of my… my stuff!" She gave him one last pointed look before taking off to her room with haste.

Feeling exhausted from the exchange, leaned forward onto the dinner table, his hands planted on the edge to keep him from falling. He'd been careful not to get caught up in any awkward situations with Akina ever since she moved in, though he'd mindlessly caused one and spoiled what would have been a great night between them.

"God, I'm such an idiot…" The Persona-user couldn't help but wish that Zaki or Jaden was with him instead. At least then he wouldn't be feeling so tense in his own dormitory. Dejected, Kota gathered the dishes on the table and begun tidying up the kitchen by himself. He could only hope that he didn't put a damper on tomorrow's outing.


	17. Don't Call it a Date!

**Chapter 17: Monday 29th of April**

Showa Day greeted the Iwatodai with more of the same sunny weather from yesterday. Kota was relieved to find that Akina wasn't caught up over the awkward conclusion to the previous night. The pair exchanged somewhat nervous greetings over breakfast before preparing to head outside.

The first stop was a nearby shrine called Naganaki Shrine. Due to the public holiday, the sacred site was packed with predominantly older attendees. It didn't stop Akina insisting that they start the day with a prayer.

After waiting in line for some time, Kota and Akina were able to make it to the offering box. After making donations equalling 500 yen each, the teenagers silently made their prayers. Kota, finishing his prayer first, glanced over to his friend beside him.

Akina was deep in prayer as he examined her appearance more closely. Aside from the black beanie, Kota noticed that her clothing was more stylish than what he'd previously seen her wear. The young albino wore a denim jacket over her simple white dress and a pair of black boots. A small black purse hung by its strap over the girl's slender shoulder to complete the outfit.

As Akina opened her eyes after her prayer, Kota quickly looked back to his towards the offering box. It would have been awkward if he had been caught staring but, thankfully, his classmate didn't seem to notice.

"Are you ready to go?" She spoke to Kota a short time later as the cyan-haired boy acted as though he only just finished praying.

"Y-Yeah," Kota answered somewhat meekly before the students made way for the next people waiting in line. The Wild Card user couldn't help but glance at his classmate again and muttered under his breath. "You know… you look great."

"Did you say something?"

"Nope! I definitely didn't!" Kota was quick to brush his comment under the rug. "The place you were talking about… it was this way, right?" Eager to distract Akina, he walked on ahead and went in the direction of the dormitory.

Meanwhile, Kota couldn't see the shy smile on the white-haired girl's face. She happily examined her clothing as she made a mental note to double her donation later.

"Kota, you're going the wrong way!"

* * *

After being steered in the right direction, Kota made it to Sokuhakken Museum along with Akina. The museum was a relatively recent development which Akina was keen to visit. It made sense that this would be the first time that she was able to visit that magnificently crafted building as she wouldn't want to see the exhibits alone and Jaden wasn't the sort of person to appreciate an outing to the museum.

Kota was a little surprised to find that he'd enjoyed examining many of the exhibits. Having Akina for company helped as they pointed out the more interesting sights and having discussions on anything they found.

"These things are huge!" Arriving at the prehistoric animal exhibit, Kota looked up at the model skeleton of a Triceratops in awe. "I never understood how big some of these animals were before coming here."

"To think that such beautiful creatures lived here before us." Akina appeared to be enjoying the exhibit more than the previous ones. Kota had known about her fondness for animals, but it appeared to extend to extinct species as well. "I'm a little sad that there aren't any live dinosaurs around anymore."

"Really? Aren't you worried that they'd eat you?"

"Not if they were herbivores." Akina looked back to the large skeleton model, her eyes filled with wonder. "Do you think that they'd enjoy being stoked, or that they'd ever let people ride them…" Akina's expression softened significantly as her imagination ran wild but was brought back to reality when she heard Kota's laughter. "W-What's so funny?!"

"I'm just imagining you riding on the back of one of these dinosaurs." The male classmate had settled down, though the smile on Kota's face irritated Akina.

"Cut it out!" The small girl couldn't hide her embarrassment as she blushed. "If we somehow went back in time right now, I wouldn't hesitate to leave you to be eaten by a T-Rex!"

"Apparently, T-Rexs weren't all that fast," Kota informed in a cheeky fashion. "I'd probably be able to outrun one, so I wouldn't be worried."

"But they were always really fast in the movies I've seen!" Akina physically recalled from shock before glaring at her friend. "Don't go spoiling dinosaurs for me! Don't tell me that you're the sort of person who thinks that Velociraptors had feathers." Kota paused briefly as he nervously ran his hand through his hair.

"Well…"

"No! We are not having this discussion!" Desperate to keep Kota from continuing, Akina reach out to the boy and tugged at his sleeve as she wore an enraged pout on her face. "Come on! Let's look at something else."

* * *

After several more hours of exploring the museum and grabbing a bite to eat, Kota requested that they visit the Chagall Café that happened to be across the road from the beef bowl shop they just ate at. The store that he frequented with Jaden had a lot of similarities to the Iwatodai branch down to the colour scheme of its furniture.

"I take it that you enjoy going to Chagall but was there some other reason that made you insist on coming here?" Akina, who was pleasantly surprised that Kota wanted to take her somewhere at first, gradually realised that he had some ulterior motive.

"Welcome to Chagall," a young waitress announced as she approached the seated pair. "Are you two ready to order?"

"I'll have a double Pheromone Coffee, thanks," Kota requested immediately without even giving the menu a glance.

"I should have known…" Akina sighed before skimming through the list of drinks in front of her and ordering a mocha. The smiling waitress left them alone as the beanie-wearing girl gave Kota a displeased glare.

"Jaden sent me a text last night asking if I had my Pheromone Coffee for the week." As though reading his classmate's mind, Kota went on to explain. "When I said no, he started freaking out and demanded that I drink a double serve the next day to make up for him being absent."

"He's still not letting it go…" Akina brought a hand to her temple as though she was weathering a minor headache. "Like I already said, no-one has taken the myth of the Pheromone Coffee seriously for years. It's as practical as saying that eating foods past the expiry date makes people more courageous."

"Huh…" Kota bowed his head in thought. It reminded him of that one time he forgot about the red miso soup in he kept in the fridge and it aged so much that it lost all of its colour. He ended up throwing it out but, maybe if he ate some of it while he was searching for that snack…

"Hey! Don't even try it as a joke! You'll just get yourself sick," Akina interrupted Kota's pondering with her chiding, though she looked genuinely worried for him. The transfer student couldn't help but feel bothered over how easily his friends seem to predict what he's thinking. "Anyway, even if the coffee does work, what use would you have seeing other girls?"

"Other girls?" Kota repeated without a thought, leading to an awkward silence between him and his friend."

"W-Wait! I didn't mean to infer anything!" Akina suddenly blurted out. Her cheeks were as flushed as Kota had seen it as she pulled her beanie slightly further down her face. "Sorry… I'm wasn't thinking straight. Can… can you please ignore what I just said?"

Kota didn't respond as he came to a realisation. It the Phenome Coffee's power was legitimate, then the drink could be affecting Akina. He wanted to ask if she started having intimate feelings for him for the sake of Jaden's scheme, but the young student felt too embarrassed by the thought of asking her.

'Perhaps it would be worth checking for any expired food at the dorms. I could do with a little more courage for times like these…'

"Here are your orders." The waitress returned not a moment too soon as she handed out the beverages, continuing to smile effortlessly all the while. "I hope you enjoy."

After the minute or so it took for the two Gekkoukan students to recover from their states of embarrassment, Kota and Akina got to chatting. They spoke about more of the same things that seemed trivial in comparison to what they've done in the Subex. While their last rescue mission was less than a week ago, to Kota, it felt like it was all a distant memory. Having normal discussions about schoolwork, friends and the city after enduring his stressful and dangerous adventures put him at a greater peace than he'd been in.

Finally realising that the sun had begun retreating towards the horizon, Kota and Akina left Chagall satisfied.

"There's still some time left before it'll get dark out." Stretching after being seated for a long period of time, Akina turned to Kota. "Any ideas?"

"What about the strip mall right by Iwatodai Station? I've never had a chance to give it a look."

"Sound's good to me!"

* * *

With the train station being a decent trek from the café, Akina led the way through a quiet, slightly unsettling part of Iwatodai. The pedestrians that surrounded them earlier had vanished before they knew it as the pair ventured through what appeared to be the town's red-light district.

"Maybe we shouldn't have gone through Shirakawa Boulevard…" While it was the direct route to the station, Akina appeared more uncertain as they continued. Kota could sense his classmate's rising unease when they came across a group of unsavoury-looking guys hanging out the front of one of the nightclubs.

A couple of the males, who both appear to be in their early 20s, looked over to the school students out of curiosity. Intimidated by the glares, Akina wordlessly gravitated toward Kota and promptly wrapped her arms around one of his. The sudden contact startled the cyan-haired boy, almost causing him to trip as he was midstride.

"Um… I hope you don't mind," Akina spoke in a soft voice, hoping that she wouldn't gather any more attention from the crowd. Understanding what was causing her to become so anxious, Kota smiled down at the red-eyed girl in an attempt to comfort her.

"Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen." His words had almost an immediate effect on Akina her grips on Kota loosened. She lowered her eyes, choosing to only focus on the taller boy she clung onto as they continued to move forward.

A few minutes later, Kota made it out of the station without incident. The number of pedestrians around him increased significantly as they stood in the busy courtyard.

"Looks like we made it." Kota looked down to the beanie-wearing girl, finding that she looked troubled as she kept hold of him. "You okay?"

"Yeah… I'm good." Akina still had her gaze locked on Kota's arm for a while longer before facing him. "I know that this is sudden… but can I ask what you wished for back at the shine?" The albino spoke more timidly than usual as Kota felt the pace of his heartbeat quicken.

"I prayed that Jaden and Zaki were enjoying their camp, that Glitch was doing well in the Subex… and today would go well." Kota could sense the mood changing as they remained in the station, causing a feeling of self-consciousness to course through him. "It turned out to be really fun, so I guess the Gods were smiling on me today." He let out a chuckle to relieve some of the tension that was building up between them.

"I actually wished for the same things… though I had a few more as well that were specifically about our… our outing." Akina struggled to find the last word of the sentence as she was rattled by her nervousness.

"Is that so? What were they?" The beanie-wearing girl responded to Kota's question with a startled, wide-eyed stare before bowing her head again.

"I'm sorry! I know that you told me yours but… It's too embarrassing for me to say," Akina said meekly.

"That's okay." Kota gave her an understanding smile. "Whatever they were, I hope they all came true."

"I suppose that I can tell that they all did… aside from my last one…" A red glow returned to the teenaged girl's face as she maintained a serious expression through her nervous tone. She reluctantly released her hold on Kota and circled to his front so they were facing one another. "Could you maybe… do me a favour?"

"Y-Yeah…" Kota's heart rate quickened further as he felt his face start to heat up. While they were no longer touching, Akina was still standing much closer to him than usual. "Whatever you need, I'll help you out."

A wave of relief looked to have swept through the shorter girl as her shoulders lost their tension. The golden sunlight from the sinking sun touched the scene making the moment feel like a dream. Akina let out a deep breath and faced Kota with a gaze that reflected the resolve that she felt at that moment.

"W-Well…"

"Well, what do you know!" To Kota's right, a familiar voice rung shattered the magic-like sensation from the moment as Jaden approached eagerly with Zaki in tow. They were in their school track gear while they were holding their gym bags, looking as though they had just disembarked from the train moments ago. Akina panicked as she saw the boys approaching and stumbled a couple of steps backwards to quickly widen the distance between her and the cyan-haired boy. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I-I-I could ask you the same thing!" The beanie-wearing girl stuttered as his surprise appearance caught her in a state of dismay. "Aren't you two meant to be in the middle of your trip?"

"It finished up early," Zaki responded shortly, his voice not carrying the same volume of vigour that his club teammate did. It was then when Kota noticed the discolouring around his left eye.

"What happened to you?!" Kota blurted out of concern. It didn't seem to be hindering his ability to see or blink, but the wound looked to have been painful, even if Zaki wasn't letting it show.

"It was the goon that I punched out earlier in the week. He thought that he could get even if he kicked me in the face during one of our practices."

"He'd been beside himself ever since he saw Zaki shrug it off like it was nothing," Jaden continued. "The captain and his lackeys were avoiding him like crazy and things got so out of hand that the trip had to be ended soon than planned."

"'Course, they put the blame on me for that," Zaki muttered bitterly though an uneasy chuckle for Jaden suggested that the blonde thought that the blame was warranted.

"Well, you did try to hunt them down multiple times after the incident…"

"I wasn't intending to do anything to them. I just wanted them to get paranoid." The gloved youth cracked his knuckles as a dark expression dawned on his face. "I'll deal with them once I get bored of seeing them in terror."

"I never figured that you were so devious," said Kota. He felt like he should talk him out of retaliating as it would cause himself more trouble, but he knew that he'd probably not be able to convince him if he tried. In contrast, Zaki's ominous words didn't seem to bother Jaden at the slightest, who cheerfully returned his attention to his classmates.

"Anyway, mind if we tag along?"

"You can't!" Akina was a little too quick to decline, leading to Kota and Jaden giving her confused looks. "I mean… you guys will need to get some ice for that eye. Also, you both still have your bags with you. You should drop those off at the dorm!"

"So, on Saturday, you got mad at me for leaving you with Kota but you want to get rid of me now that I'm back? I wonder if something has changed since I was last here…" Jaden flashed a knowing smile at Akina, which only served to irritate her further.

"I think we're interrupting something…" Zaki was quick to catch on to the girl's desire for privacy as he spoke to his smug teammate. "It'll be best if we head to the dorms."

"I know... I'm not really willing to be pulled around as a third wheel anyway." Kota could tell that Akina was fighting to keep herself from unleashing one of her outbursts from the intensity of the glare she shot at Jaden as he left for the dormitory building. "We'll see you two later."

He and Zaki took their leave as Kota noticed Jaden hobbling as he walked, looking sore from the trip. Akina was able to calm herself down with their departure, though the boys' earlier intrusion left her a little despondent.

"The guys coming back early really threw off my dinner plans… We'll have to call it a day." Abandoning her decision to make the request with Jaden and Zaki's return, Akina spoke regretfully. "I'm sorry. I'll need to pass by the supermarket to get something to feed them."

"You could always kick them out and tell them to eat elsewhere so we can keep going." While he couldn't put his finger on it, Kota felt reluctant about the outing ending so abruptly. Akina responded to the suggestion with a giggle.

"Trust me, I'd like that but if I did, Jaden wouldn't stop complaining about being told to leave so soon after coming back." The fellow second-year cheered up upon noticing Kota's willingness to continue. She held her arms behind her back as gave the boy a thankful smile. "I had a great time today. Thanks for hanging out with me."

"You weren't too bothered my dinosaur facts?"

"Okay, those weren't so great…" Akina admitted with a frown, "but even then, I admire your honesty. I… find it charming."

"Heh, thanks." Kota chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck out of instinct. Without Jaden around, the Wild Card had often sensed some unexplainable tension between him and his female classmate whenever the two of them were alone. After spending the day with her, however, he felt as though they had become more comfortable with one another… not to say that the awkwardness between them was gone for good. "Let me help you with the shopping. Maybe we could check out the odd store on the way over there."

Having gotten over the surprise of Jaden and Zaki's sudden arrival, Akina nodded enthusiastically with a joyful glint in her eyes.

"I'd like that."

* * *

 **Tuesday 30th of April**

Feeling refreshed from the extended break, Kota strolled down the final path to the school gates at a leisurely pace. Akina had arrived at the school earlier for her club commitments, so he was accompanied by Jaden and Zaki. Neither of the boys seemed all that chipper in comparison, especially Jaden who lagged behind the others.

"Come on, Slowpoke. The bell's going to beat you there if keep this up," Zaki called out to the blonde impatiently from over his shoulder, the discolouring around his eye yet to heal from the camp.

"Give me a break, Zaki," Jaden grit his teeth from the discomfort as he limped after his peers. He was looking sorer than he did the previous day. "You're lucky that the goalkeeper hardly runs during training. Be a little more considerate to the rest of us."

"A couple of our teammates just ran past us. You're the only one from the trip who's barely able to walk."

"You two seem to have gotten close," Kota observed aloud, earning a sidewards glance from the dark-haired boy.

"You think so? He was pestering me all trip, so I just figured that it was easier to let him have his way than shoo him away."

"Don't act like you're hating my company." Jaden rushed up to Zaki's side through the aching pain with a wide smile. "You said yourself during one of our deep and meaningful discussions that you didn't mind it."

"Those 'discussions' were completely one-sided. You just ended up talking my ear off."

"My point still stands." Kota knew that the smug look on Jaden's face was going to annoy glove-wearing boy. "A certain shorty may have taken the tsundere spot already, but I suppose having one more in the group wouldn't hurt."

"Feel free to stop talking, unless you want me to introduce you to something that really would." Zaki shot a menacing glare at the chatty blonde, who appeared to have trembled briefly from the intensity of the gaze.

"You know, you two are quite alike." Jaden chuckled nervously as he tried to fill the heavy silence that washed over the group. "Akina would stomp on my foot whenever I bug her too much."

"Then why haven't you learnt your lesson?" In the past, Kota had aggravated the odd spat Jaden had with Akina as it made for some amusing banter. When it came to Zaki, however, he would have been naïve to think that Zaki's threat was empty, so the amnesiac felt that he had to step in to be on the safe side. "A-Anyway, Shodaru… Since we're living in the same dorm, you're welcome to start calling me Kota."

"Yeah, sure." Happy enough with the change of topic, Zaki shrugged indifferently as the trio entered through the school gates. "I've never been fussy about stuff like that anyway."

"Heh, now it really feels like you're part of the crew!" Relieved that he'd dodged a bullet with Kota's intervention, Jaden returned to his cheerful self. "Having more people to hang out with is always better. Maybe we could ask Kanade to hang out with us sometime."

"... I don't know if that would be a good Idea." The dark expression reappeared on Zaki's face, though it was noticeably sadder as looked out into the distance.

"Huh?" It was obvious to Jaden that something was wrong. Before either he or Kota could enquire, they noticed Zaki express surprise when he caught sight of a certain bespectacled girl on the path ahead.

Kanade was standing by the edge of the pavement leading to the school building, holding her simple backpack loosely by one of its straps. She glumly scanned the faces of the students as they streamed into the entrance hall until she noticed Zaki. Initially, the girl's expression went from conflicted to worried upon setting her purple eyes on the bruising on his face.

"Zaki!" Not caring about the scene she was creating in front of her other peers, Kanade rushed towards her classmate for a closer look. "Your face…"

"Don't panic. I'm fine." Zaki tried brushing off the injury but Kanade wasn't letting it go.

"You don't look fine! What happened to you?!"

"I had an accident during practice. It not worth getting worked up over."

"But-"

"Kanade." Zaki firmly halted her speech with a stern gaze that seemed to lack its usual hardness. If anything, the renowned delinquent looked hesitant as he addressed his once close friend. "You don't have to worry about me anymore. Just focus on looking after yourself, okay?"

Stone-faced, the messy-haired boy walked past Kanade and into the school building without giving her another glance. Having witnessed the exchange, Kota watched the two part in confusion. He'd thought that the pair would still be on good terms once Zaki had been saved but it was obvious that something had happened between them since then.

"Zaki, wait up!" Equally as puzzled as the user of the Wild Card, Jaden chased after the goalkeeper, wincing from the sudden movement of his sore body. Suddenly, Kota found himself standing beside Kanade as the other students around them lost interest in them with the conclusion of the confrontation. The girl was incredibly dispirited from Zaki's words, so Kota took it upon himself to cheer her up.

"Zaki has been getting along with Jaden after he woke up. He even moved into the dormitory that I've been staying in. We'll be supporting him where we can, so he'll be alright."

"I know… and I'm glad that you two will be there for him. It's just…" Kanade couldn't face Kota as her shoulders started to tremble. Unable to finish her sentence, the gentle girl brought her hands to her face, looking as though she was quietly sobbing.

"Kanade?" Hearing Kota's concerned voice, the girl rushed to recover, drying her eyes with the wipe of her sleeves. After settling down somewhat, she reluctantly faced the cyan-haired boy. The trails of tears could still be seen on Kanade's face as she gave him a weak smile.

"I'm sorry. Approaching him like that was selfish of me…" Then, the glasses-wearing girl vacantly turned to the school gates leading to the city. "I'm… not feeling too good. Could you tell Zaki that I'm heading home? I want him to pass it on to our homeroom teacher."

Without waiting for Kota's response, Kanade headed directly to the exit from the school grounds with haste. The Persona-user watched her take her leave as an unsettling feeling arose in the pit of his stomach. Seeing a visually disturbed teenager eagerly running off was all too familiar to Kota during his short time in Iwatodai, making him fear the worse.

The student was then taken off guard when he felt a vibration in his pocket.

"Huh?!" With a rising feeling of dread, Kota pulled out his phone and unlocked his phone with shaking hands. The message that triggered the notification was immediately brought up on the screen.

 _Hey, kid._

 _I hope you enjoyed your long weekend because it's that time again. The life of another is in your hands and what happens next will be up to you._

 _Just be sure not to die. N._

The colour rapidly vanished from Kota's face as he read the text, having remembered the mystery call he received before learning of Zaki's collapse into the Subex. If the same thing was about to happen to Kanade, the Persona-user knew that he had to stop it from happening at all costs.

He whipped his head around to face the direction that the girl had went in. When Kota found that Kanade had already passed through the school gates, the cyan-haired boy ran after her.

The transfer student barely ran a couple of steps before he felt his heart rate spike upwards. He was afraid of what was about to happen next, afraid of having to set aside the normal part of his life again and fight for the lives of him and his friends. He hated the thought of going back to the Subex more than anything.

Kota kept running past the oncoming stream of students until he reached the streets of Port Island. From there, Kota spotted the girl with light-brown hair and a backpack hanging from one of her shoulders not much further away from where he stood.

"Kanade, wait!" Calling out to her, Kota dashed towards the girl. Hearing her name being called, Kanade turned to face the Wild Card. When Kota laid eyes on her face, he immediately knew that something was wrong.

Her usual bright purple eyes had dulled since she fled from school. Her expression was on the brink of lifelessness as Kanade looked as though he was hardly aware of where she was. Just as Kota was almost within reach, the schoolgirl closed her eyes as her entire body went limp, dropping her backpack in the process.

With almost no time to process what was happening, Kota halted just as Kanade fell towards him. He instinctively wrapped her arms around the girl as she collapsed into the cyan-haired boy's chest, keeping her from hitting the ground. Kota stood completely frozen as he clung to Kanade's slender frame. Even as he was holding her unconscious body, he wouldn't allow himself to acknowledge what this meant for him, his friends… and Kanade.

"Kanade?" Kota's voice weak as he hoped more than anything that he'd get a response. But as the people around him noticed that something was wrong with her, the Persona-user finally abandoned that hope and faced the truth.

The truth that Kanade had been lost to the Subex.

* * *

"So, there's nothing else you noticed about the girl before she passed out? She didn't mention that she was experiencing any light-headedness or had any trouble breathing?"

"No… She told me that she was unwell but nothing specific." Still in shock, Kota continued to answer a string of question given to him by one of the paramedics that arrived on the scene. Neither the male adult that spoke to him nor the younger woman that assessed Kanade's condition from the back of the ambulance knew the cause of the coma though they thought that the Gekkoukan student wasn't in any danger if their lack of urgency was anything to go by.

"Don't you worry, she's in a stable condition." After responding to a few more questions, Kota was given some encouraging words from the medic. "There were some similar cases to hers over had over the last month. They all woke up a few hours later, so we expect her to recover soon."

"That's good to hear…" Kota couldn't bring himself to even fake a smile as he knew how much danger Kanade's life was really in. There was no doubt in his mind that she was never going to wake up if he and his friends didn't do something about it.

The man jogged back to the ambulance and left for the hospital with the sirens blaring. The group of curious onlookers that gathered, that were mostly populated with Gekkoukan students, slowly diminished in numbers once the commotion was over. Emotionally exhausted, Kota dragged his feet as he headed back to the school. He had to inform Jaden and Akina that they had to go save her as soon as they got back to the dorms.

"Kota, a gateway opened up right in front of me. Did you see the person who was responsible for that?" The cyan-haired boy was barely startled when he heard Glitch talking to him through his intangible earpiece. With no one within earshot of him, Kota responded.

"I did… She fell into a coma right before my eyes." The feeling of powerlessness that grasped him as he held Kanade returned and he recounted the events. "I couldn't do anything to stop it…"

"Thankfully, you already know who we're rescuing this time. Could you pick up a key to help us reach her?" Glitch was quick to refocus the topic of discussion on rescuing Kanade. After a drawn-out breath, Kota realised that Glitch had the right attitude. It wasn't the time to feel sorry for himself.

Regaining his determination, Kota had to work out how to identify a key that will allow him and his friends to reach her. Between the four Persona-users, one of them would know what to get and it just so happened that he was leaning against the school gate.

"I have just the person to help us."

"I'll be waiting." Glitch went silent once again, leaving Kota to approach the listless teen.

Zaki was gazing in the direction of the tall buildings in the island's centre well after the sirens had faded into the distance. The hardened youth had an uncharacteristically soft expression, looking more troubled than the time he pressed Kota and his other rescuers for answers on the pier. Upon noticing the possessor of the Wild Card, Zaki stood up to face him.

"Jaden already went to tell Yonashi what happened." Zaki looked over Kota's shoulder towards the spot where the ambulance took Kanade away before returning his gaze to the fellow second-year. "You're going to go save her, right?"

"Of course, but to do that, we'll need something that she holds strong feelings for in order to reach her." Kota could sense Zaki's anxiousness as the dark-haired youth listened attentively to every word. "When we went to retrieve you from the Subex, we used your family photo to find you. Do you know of anything that we could use to save Kanade?" Zaki brought his gloved hand to his chin as he silently consulted his memory.

"I may have something in mind…" After a couple of moments of thought, the delinquent had a bittersweet look in his eyes. Whatever he remembered struck a chord within Zaki as returned a fierce look to Kota. "I'll get it right away! I want her back here as soon as possible."

"She isn't in immediate danger," Kota reasoned. "Once school's done for the day, we'll start bringing her back right away." Zaki bit the inside of his cheek, signalling to transfer student that he wasn't satisfied with the response. However, he shortly gave up on the idea of convincing Kota to act sooner.

"Fine, but I can't sit through class while she's stuck in that hellhole. I'll bring this 'key' to you as soon as I can, so you guys better get moving the moment the last bell rings." Not wanting to spend another moment standing still, Zaki walked past Kota and headed straight for the train station.

It was hard for Kota to tell from the short amount of time that he spent with Zaki earlier, but it became clear to him that the intimidating boy really cared for Kanade. It made him wonder what brought about that fight before the timid girl fell into a coma.

He quickly abandoned the though as he realised that homeroom would have already begun. Not looking forward to the inevitable scolding he was about to get from Ms Toriumi, Kota started moving briskly towards the school building.

* * *

 **One year prior…**

A sixteen-year-old Zaki Shodaru stood in front of the open school gates of Gekkoukan High School, staring at the large building that stood ahead of him through the showering blossoms. He tried to ignore the students stream past him within their small groups, excitedly chatting and laughing along with one another.

It was Zaki's first day of high school and he hated the thought of having to spend another three years of being forced to attend classes and having to put up with more of his immature peers. If his grandmother hadn't called one of the neighbours to make sure he went to school, he wouldn't even be here.

With his school bag in hand, Zaki walked through the gates. He kept his head down, making sure that he didn't make eye contact with any of the other students. Upon entering the large entrance hall, the dark-haired boy noticed a large crowd of students huddling around a couple of large banners. They were undoubtedly lists stating the members of each homeroom class.

With the number of people that were loudly chatting away right in front of the banners, Zaki decided against joining them. Instead, he left his shoes in one of the vacant shoe lockers and headed down a quiet hallway to get away from the commotion.

Zaki felt a little more at ease as he secluded himself from the rest of the school-goers. He kept walking until he was barely able to hear any of the noise coming from the entrance hall, then put his back against the wall and slid down it into a sitting position. He closed his eyes, doing what he can to enjoy the solitude while could.

The loss of his parents, the wellbeing of his grandmother, those thoughts flowed through his mind as Zaki rested his legs. With the way life had been treating him in the past, he didn't expect anything to change, always continuing to kick him while he's down. From the day he returned to school after his parents' deaths, he was shunned by his peers. All those months he spent in the hospital after the fire forced him back a grade, yet many of those around him assumed that he was stupid or just some misfit based on his appearance.

The only positive thing about Zaki's enrolment into the new school is that provided him with a clean slate. In the past, he would attract attention from bullies and other unsavoury individuals but now that those people are off at different schools, he has a chance to stay under the radar. The glove-wearing boy had been ready for a lonely existence ever since her grandmother was forced to reside in an aged care facility. It saddened him, but he knew it was the only way… the only way to end the Shodaru Curse.

"Hey! Give me back my bag!" A distressed voice broke the silence that hung around the hallway, much to Zaki's annoyance.

"Why should we? It's got some stupid kid's design on it that only a six-year-old would like. We're doing this for your own good." Zaki turned to face the direction of where the voices were coming from only to find a set of stairs leading up to the second floor. Leaving his bag behind, Zaki briskly walked towards the voices while being as silent as possible until he was able to see what was happening from halfway up the stairs.

There were three students. Two of them were male students who looked old enough to be third-years. The slightly smaller of the two was rummaging his hand in search of something while the other one stood in between his mate and the victim. The third person was a girl with shoulder-length light brown hair and wearing a pair of glasses. Her teary purple eyes remained fixed on the bag.

"Please give it to me..." She barely managed to speak while attempting to hold back her sobs. The two seniors weren't showing any sympathy towards the girl, to Zaki's disgust, the two older boys seemed to be getting a kick out of it.

The observing student felt the overwhelming urge to intervene, but he tried fighting it. If he got involved, Zaki knew that he'd risk getting the bad books of students and teachers alike, turning his high school life into a nightmare. He could only continue watching the scene as a sickening sensation churned in his stomach.

"Wow. Judging by the way you are acting, maybe you really are a six-year-old!" The larger of the boys let out a snicker upon hearing his mate's comment. "Well, it looks like you don't have any cash on you. I guess I'll have to dispose of this trash then." The senior walked over to a nearby bin and held the girl's bag over it, threatening to drop the bag.

The girl couldn't take it anymore, looking down at her feet as tears started to run down her cheeks. The boys started to laugh at her before the larger of them took the girl's glasses and threw it further down the corridor, causing them to laugh even harder.

Zaki clenched his hands in anger as he continued to watch the events unfold. Before he knew it, he ran up the last couple of steps in front of him and stopped several metres from the boy with the bag.

"Leave her alone!" The three students turned to face the disruption, the girl with a look of surprise and the boys with looks of annoyance.

"Says who?" A silence followed for the next couple of seconds giving Zaki enough time to calm himself down a little bit.

"Doesn't matter. I just thought you and your ape of a friend should know that seeing the two of you mug someone half your sizes makes you look like complete tools."

"Hey man, I've got to make some quick cash from time to time. Besides it was the bitch's fault for coming to school with such childish junk." The guy threw the bag across the corridor and into the wall opposite the bin.

"If you want some money that badly, why don't you get yourself a job and quit being a menace." A brief silence followed. Then, the senior walked towards Zaki until the two were right in each other's faces. The boy was about half a head taller than the first-year.

"What's that? You're telling ME what to do? How about you turn around, get back to what you were doing and hope that I don't see you again, otherwise I'm going to have to keep you in a hospital bed for rest of the year." Zaki realised that the smartest thing for him to do was to walk away before he was forced to get into a fistfight, but at that moment he caught sight of the girl. She had moved to grab her glasses and was now wearing them despite one of the lenses baring a large crack. There was no way he was going to leave her there with these fiends.

"Try me." Those two words were enough to push the senior over the edge. A right fist was thrown towards Zaki's face but was swiftly side-stepped by the first-year student. Using his opponent's momentum to his advantage, the glove-wearing boy grabbed the passing fist and pushed the senior shoulder-first into the wall.

The second student grabbed Zaki as he shoulder-charged, looking to knock him back down the steps behind him. However, the lone fighter was able to break out of the grip and drop to the ground, tripping the student up and causing him to fall just short of the first step.

Zaki got back up only to see a bin being hurled in his direction. He parried with his hands only to be immediately hit in the side of the face with a closed fist from the first bully. Zaki retaliated by sending an elbow straight at his first attacker's nose.

He moved to follow-up with a punch, but the second attacker grabbed the left arm before it could be thrown. Having been spun around, Zaki was met with a brutal head-butt from the guy who was almost a whole foot taller than himself. He then put the dark-haired boy in a full nelson, allowing his friend to connect blow after blow to the defenceless kohai's body.

"Are you going to tell me what to do now, prick?" A wide, right-handed hook connected with the side of Zaki's head, causing his ears to ring profusely. "Where did all the tough guy talk go huh?" Rib, rib, nose, jaw. Each punch delivered an excruciating amount of pain to Zaki with each hit being more painful than last, but he wasn't about to give up, not when someone else was counting on him.

When the student in front of him stopped throwing punches to take a breather, Zaki acted. While being kept in the full nelson hold, he sent a kick towards the first senior and hit him in the crotch. With one senior collapsed on the ground due to the pain, the first-year jumped so the top of his head hit the bottom of the second senior's chin. The large senior staggered backwards, freeing Zaki before his gloved fist hit the senior square in the face, forcing him to fall down the steps behind him.

The first senior reappeared in front of Zaki and sent a kick his way that was then caught. The smaller boy lifted the leg of the attacker and caused him to fall onto his back before directing a strong kick into his kneecap, causing the knee to hyperextend in an unnatural manner. The senior yelled in pain and immediately clutched his knee, signalling that he had had enough of a beating. Zaki kneeled down while clutching his sore ribs, waiting for his head to stop spinning.

Suddenly, muttering filled the corridor. Zaki slowly raised his head to find that a group of 20 or 30 students were standing further down the hall having just watched the fight unfold. What made his heart really sink was the sight of a male teacher pushing his way through the crowd. The seniors had both escaped by hobbling down the stairs leaving Zaki to deal with the aftermath. The middle-aged teacher surveyed the scene keenly before fixing his glare upon the remaining student. It was clear that he knew what had just happened, and that he wasn't happy in the slightest.

"Young man, you need to make your way to the principal's office. Right now!" The stern voice echoed around the walls, silenced the muttering among the observing students. After a few moments of silence, Zaki slowly picked himself off the ground while still leaving his hand over his ribs. He followed the teacher, not once glancing at the girl who continued to look at him through the cracked lens in her glasses.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Zaki exited the principal's office. Most of that time was spent telling the principal what had happened prior to the fight while getting his bruises looked at by the school nurse. As well as being told that no serious damage was caused from the fight, just a lot of bruising, the principal told him that he would have to return to the office after school to face his punishment. The only reason why Zaki was let off, for the time being, was because the principal saw that it was important for him to attend the classes for his first day of high school.

Now bearing a few bandages that covered the small cuts on his face, Zaki stood at the front of the office staring at his feet in silence. He knew that those students would start gossiping about what they saw. Within days everyone at the school would know about the delinquent who beat up a couple of upperclassmen on his first day of school. People will be giving him strange looks and creating nasty rumours about him, no different to what had happened in middle school.

While thinking through all the consequences, Zaki felt a strong urge to leave this place and crawl back into bed. He didn't have the energy to face the glares that were waiting for him in his classroom. Zaki moved towards the building's exit without hesitation.

"Umm…" a timid yet familiar voice sounded from behind him, stopping him from taking another step. Zaki turned to see that a girl, clutching a Featherman backpack, was staring at him. It was the same girl that was being picked on by those two seniors. She continued to look at Zaki with her mouth slightly open, clearly struggling to speak up. "Good... morning." the girl spoke and bowed as if she was following the routine of how one should introduce themselves.

Zaki kept his nasty glare on her, not saying a word. Having no interest in talking to the girl, Zaki turned his back on the girl and continued to walk.

"Wait!" Zaki barely took two steps before the girl called out to him again. He didn't have any time for this. Tightly clenching his fist, he turned to face her.

"What do you want?" Zaki growled at her, but rather than being discouraged from talking to him, she remained standing there. She clutched her bag with her hand and looked up at Zaki before replying.

"I was concerned about you after you got in trouble with the teacher and…" The purple-eyed girl was trembling from her nervousness, but she continued to push on. "I wanted to make sure you were okay." Zaki sighed in a condescending manner, acting as though he saw the girl as some poor naïve damsel.

"I only stepped in because I couldn't stand seeing guys like that get want they want. You don't owe me anything."

"That's not true!" The girl became startled by her own outburst as Zaki silently showed his surprise through a mildly shocked expression. "I can't explain it... but I know that you're lying." The girl blushed as the silence between the pair started to lengthen. For the first time in a long while, the gloved first-year was at a loss with what to do. It was rare for someone to see his violent acts as good deeds and he'd never been in a situation when someone aside from his grandmother saw through his façade.

As much as he didn't want to, Zaki started to warm-up to the deceptively brave girl.

"What's your name?" The girl looked up from the ground, almost jumping when she heard Zaki speak to her.

"Fushiwada... Kanade Fushiwada."

"I'm Zaki Shodaru."

"Zaki... Shodaru." Kanade paused for a moment before her eyes lit up and her entire expression brightened with them. "I remember seeing your name on the class list. You're in my class, 1-B." The corners of the girl's lips rose, giving the fellow first-year a shy smile. Zaki darted his eyes away from the girl, unsure of whether he liked where this was going. After a brief moment, the mood between them lowered again.

"Oh… did you get suspended because of the fighting?" She suddenly sounded rather sad about the idea of Zaki leaving her before wearing a look of determination. "If you did, then I'll talk to the Principal and explain that you were only trying to help me! If you're getting suspended, then I deserve to be as well!"

"Hey! Don't say that." Zaki was about to scold her for being brash before it dawned on him that he was in no position to do that. Instead, he let it go with a small shake of the head. "We should get to class. We've wasted enough here time as it is."

But when Zaki took a few steps towards his classroom, Kanade remained unmoving. She looked even less motivated to go then Zaki sounded. Just from a glance of her glum expression, he knew what her problem was.

Even if she wasn't directly involved in the fight, she could be caught up in the gossip crossfire. There was even a chance that Kanade would be avoided by her classmates as a result.

"Listen, you shouldn't feel self-conscious about what just happened. The only opinions that should matter to you are those from the people you care about, right?" It took a moment for what Zaki said to sink in.

"I see... so you don't think I'm a weakling? Or even a crybaby?"

"Huh?!" Zaki was taken off-guard by the timid girl once again. He had to compose himself with a sigh before continuing. "You really shouldn't care what I think, but… I'm sure that there is a lot more to you than that." Kanade nodded once again with a bright smile.

"Thank you, Shodaru... I'll do what I can to prove you right!" Zaki felt a genuine and uncharacteristic smile start to form on his face before he quickly hid it by turning his face away from Kanade and covering his mouth. He felt awkward showing his smile to her grandmother, let alone someone who he only just met. He could feel the heat coming off his cheeks as he slowly lowered his hand.

"Just call me Zaki. I'm not big on the formalities."

"R-Right… Sorry." The girl rubbed her arm nervously as her face started to turn red again. "I don't mind… if you call me by my first name too."

"Alright." Zaki looked at Kanade with a significantly more reserved smile. "Let's get going… Kanade."

"Uh huh!" The girl rushed to Zaki's side with a charming before the two quietly headed to homeroom.

It was strange. Just the girl's company alone put his worries at ease. All of a sudden, the despair that he felt from his fear of the Shodaru Curse had retreated to the depths of his mind as he felt unusually chipper.

As the pair stood before the classroom door, Zaki glanced at the purple-eyed girl beside him. If had someone like that by his side, perhaps he could find the strength to face his future after all.

* * *

 **Present day**

The chatter during lunchtime between Kota, Jaden and Akina was kept to a minimum as another rescue mission in the Subex waited for them outside of the school gates. The trio had settled down on the front steps of the building in anticipation for Zaki's return. Jaden tried to lift Kota's spirits after what he had witnessed that morning. While the amnesiac appreciated the effort, he remained largely untalkative as he nibbled through his bread.

Just as the break between classes was drawing to a close, Kota spotted Zaki heading down the path lined with sakura blossoms with something slung over his shoulder.

"He's here." Kota interrupted his friends' discussion, bringing their attention to the figure that was approaching them. Unsure of what to say, Jaden and Akina joined their friend in watching Zaki up until he reached the steps.

The dark-haired boy wordlessly removed the strap from over his shoulder and gently placed the object by Kota's feet. It was a worn blue backpack featuring a group of masked heroes with the golden text "Phoenix Ranger Featherman R" in the background.

"Is this…" Jaden was as confused as Akina and Kota as to why a kid's backpack was revealed to be the key to saving Kanade but stopped short of asking Zaki about it. When Kota looked back to the cursed teen, he saw an intense fire in his eyes that he'd never seen before.

"I want to tag along." Jaden and Akina were taken aback from the intensity of Zaki's words. The short sentence he delivered along with his gaze was enough to show that he was every bit serious.

"Are you sure about that?" Kota asked. "It will be dangerous, and the three of us will be capable of-"

"I need to do this!" Zaki's hands curled into fists as he wore a menacing scowl. Kota almost recalled from the sheer potency of the glare that renown troublemaker aimed squarely at him. Quickly becoming aware of his outburst, he reverted back to his sombre state. "I owe it to her…"

"Shodaru..." Akina spoke sympathetically as she saw the second-year act unusually upset. She then turned to Kota, as did Jaden shortly after. The unofficial leader of the bunch could tell that they were waiting for his response and without either of them uttering a word, Kota knew that they wanted Zaki to join them.

"We understand." Feeling as though he was unable to turn him down, Kota agreed. "Let's work together to bring Kanade back."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hey all. I don't usually do this, but I feel like I owe you all an explanation after such a long break between this chapter and the last.**

 **So, yeah, it took me almost two months to get this chapter out. My bad. In truth, I've been close to finishing this for about a month but found it difficult to polish off the last few scenes. I suppose the fact that I've had the busiest, most chaotic six weeks that I've experienced in recent memory didn't help. Thankfully, a lot of the outside distractions are behind me now, but I still have a packed couple of weeks ahead of me so I make no guarantees that my uploads will speed up.**

 **Now, since I have your attention, I may as well share something that I'm honestly quite excited about. I'm currently allocating some time here and there on a new story that I will be uploading to this site. This time, it will be a Danganronpa fanfic where it will feature (unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with DR) a killing game between gifted high school students. The cast will largely be populated by OCs and will be written as though it's a sequel to the official story, similar to this story, only I plan to borrow characters that readers submit to me to build the cast. I won't give a date on when I'll be uploading the prologue and character submission sheet since I tend to break deadlines a lot, but I'm hoping to get that up sooner rather than later after I've settled on some of the finer details of the plot and a few of my own characters.**

 **So, if it sounds like that will appeal to you and/or you're interested in submitting your own character(s), look out for it. I probably won't mention it again in this story. If you're eager about hearing about some of the details early, feel free to message me.**

 **Whoops! I just wrote out a long chapter and made it even longer with this message. I guess it's time for me to sign off then. I hope you've all been enjoying thing so far because it won't be too much longer be things really start to escalate!**


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